Silverflame of the Heart
by DevilTito
Summary: The djinn world is facing a new threat, and once again, John and Philippa get involved. Nimrod has something up his sleeve - a new kind of power. He will need the help of the twins, who are more than willing to lend a hand in defeating Iblis. New bindings, new powers, secrets, revelations and old enemies. A new adventure awaits!
1. Greetings

**Hello fellow Djinn-lovers! This is an idea I got in the shower, and I just had to write it. The story takes place somewhere after the sixth book, I have yet to read the 7th, so please bear with me. the chapters ****will mainly be in Phil's POV, but John will get some time to shine as well.** So this first chapter is short and includes a little preview, just a little taste of what you can expect. The next chapter will be longer, and explain a lot more. It's been awhile since I read CotL, so if you find any mistakes, please let me know and I'll fix it ^ ^ Oh, and I'm a HUGE fan of Phil x Buck and John x Faustina, so there will be some fluff later on, I promise! Btw, I'm not a native english speaker, so please excuse my crappy english. Enjoy!

**Disclaimer: If I owned CotL, Phil and Buck would have confessed ages ago! **

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**Silverflame of the heart**

**_Chapter 1: Greetings_**

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Philippa was sitting by her window reading a book in the warm weather. After returning from Amazon, things had been quiet. There was nothing to do. Not even homework! This was going to be a very long summer. Tired of reading, and with nothing better to do, Philippa decided to check up on John. She went outside her room and went down the hallway.

Normally she would have knocked before entering his room, but the door was slightly open, so she opened the door a little wider, peeking inside. The room was messy, as usual. The windows closed, as usual. The floor covered with John's belongings, as usual and John was snoring loudly in his chair, as usual. Philippa got a mischievous look on her face, and decided to pull a little prank on her sleeping twin. She slowly crept closer, trying her best not to make any noise. When she stood right beside him, she inhaled deeply and mentally screamed John's name. Her twin reacted immediately, jumping up from his chair and taking his fighting stance. After looking around, John spotted his sister who was cracking up.

"Not funny Phil, I thought you were in danger…" John pouted.

"Sorry John, but you were looking so cute sleeping like that," Phil said, "I bet Faustina would love to see you like that."

John's ears turned crimson red and he suddenly felt hot. Philippa constantly teased John with his crush on the Blue Djinn and him being cute, when he in fact was rather handsome for a 15-year old. After the whole incident with the jinx, the fakir and the secrets he held, the twins had developed a deeper bond. The insight the two had of each other's minds was now far beyond a normal pair of twins'. They were now able to sense the others thoughts almost like a psychic pair of twins. Surely it was because of the fact that they were twins, and even better djinn-twins, meaning denying his crush on Faustina was useless.

"So what's up?" he asked, trying to divert her attention onto something else than himself. John stretched and rubbed his eyes.

"Nothing, I was just really bored! I mean, ever since school ended, there's been nothing to do. I'm tired of reading books and magazines all the time. I don't even have any homework left!" Philippa complained.

She blew her bangs away from her face, folded her arms in front of her chest and stomped with her foot. She looked over at her twin, noticing how tall he had grown over the past few months.

"Well, don't you have any hobbies? What happened to your Djinn verso obsession?" John asked curiously. It wasn't like Philippa to get bored easily. Philippa tapped a finger at her chin, thinking about the question she was asked.

"Well, I'm not really tired of it, but it's not as entertaining as it was before. I mean, some real competition would be nice. Oh, I miss Nimrod." She answered sighing loudly.

Memories of their uncle in Kensington came flooding back. They hadn't heard from him in like forever! After their latest adventure, contact between them had just decreased. Now he hardly ever called. The twins started feeling a little depressed. After getting used to the adventures and dangers the Djinn world had showed them, their normal life just seemed… boring. The two of them were ready to jump into the sea, if it meant adventure with Nimrod. The voice of their mom, Layla, snapped them out of their thoughts.

"Kids! Come downstairs please!" She called.

The young djinn tried to make their way out of John's room, but with his floor almost buried in his clothes and stuff, it was a trial to even get to the bed.

"You should spend some time cleaning. Your room is a mess!" Phil said.

"It's none of your business…" John was starting to get annoyed.

"Sure it isn't, I'm not afraid of drowning in your smelly clothes at all!" She answered sarcastically, rolling her eyes in a very familiar manner. For a second John was reminded of Dybbuk, but he had to think of a comeback, so he didn't ponder about it for too long, and thus the usual argument started all the way down the stairs.

"My clothes would probably flee, if you were buried under them." He continued.

"Moron!" Philippa said.

"Dice maniac!" John insulted.

"Monkey face!" hissed an angry red-head.

They stopped bickering when they stood outside the door to the living room. Before entering, the twins heard a very familiar voice and stopped in their tracks. They looked at each other with their mouths wide open. They heard the voice again. _His_ voice. John and Phil took a deep breath, steadying themselves, and entered. Their mother sat in one of the couches facing the door. Across from her sat a man, whose figure seemed VERY familiar. He was smoking and making figures with the exhaled smoke. Then he started laughing in a very loud manner. Layla gestured for him to turn around.

"Well, hello kids." The man said while he got up from the couch. His red suit was as eye-catching as usual and the smile on his face grew wider each second.

"Nimrod!" The twins shouted simultaneously. They ran over to him and hugged him with all their might.

"Good to see you too kids." He said returning each of the young djinn' hugs.

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**Preview**

_"I'm afraid something is going on in the world of djinn. I have sensed it for some time now, but... Anyhow, I want the two of you to help me. We have to go see Faustina first. I'll explain later, but for now, I just want to do some catching up, how about you?" Minrod smiled in a devilish manner. He looked Philippa in the eye and smirked. She caught on to what he was signaling. She squeeled with delight and ran to get their game of djinn verso ready._

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_Edited 15.06.2012: Changed djinns to djinn a few places. _

**Sooooo, what do you think? Was it alright? Was it awfull? I had inteded to post this with the next chapter, but I couldn't wait! The preview was a teensy weensy part of next chapter, and it'll be up soon. And if you find any mistakes I made regarding spelling, grammar etc. feel free to point them out, and I'll fix 'em right away ^ ^ Thanks for reading and have a nice day! (=w=)/**


	2. Plans

**Hi there, I'm sorry it took so long to update, but I was very busy with school. I'm 4 days away from summer vacation, and I should be studying, but I had to upload this. I tried to keep everyone's personalitites, but it's been a long time since I read the books, and I read them in Danish. Also, they have aged a bit, so hopefully they are more mature. ****Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: If I owned Children of the Lamp, Nimrod would have caught a monkey in Eye of the Forest. **

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**Plans**

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"You see, I was in the neighborhood and decided to pay you a little visit." Nimrod said blowing small figures with the smoke from his cigar. "Surprise!" he added jokingly. He glanced at his sister, who was looking nothing less than stunning, and saw to his relief that she was smiling. After her decision to no longer use her powers, Nimrod wasn't exactly welcome at the Gaunt residence, but Layla had welcomed him anyway, which was rather weird. But then again, she might have missed him, so Nimrod didn't dwell over it for very long.

The four of them sat there for a while doing small talk. Nimrod was looking great, his 1000 W smile lighting up the atmosphere, his loud laugh echoing through the room, his red suit demanding attention and the good vibe coming from him completed the feeling of "being home".

"Kids, I'm going out for a while, I have an errand to run. How about you and your Uncle Nimrod do some catching up?" Layla stood up and got ready to leave. "There's food in the refrigerator or you can order some take out, but only this once!" She continued being the good mother she was for a few more minutes.

Once they said their goodbyes and heard the front door slam, they relaxed and chit-chatted some more. After twenty minutes of exchanging memories from the summer, the twins looked at each other. John took a deep breath and looked at his uncle.

"What's the real reason you are here, Nimrod?" he asked uncertain. Nimrod looked a little taken back.

"Do I need a reason to visit my sister and her family?" he asked smiling. Philippa shook her head.

"That's great and all, but seriously Nimrod, did you really think we would buy that?" she quirked a brow and crossed her arms in front of her chest, "let's state the facts shall we? After returning from our last adventure, you practically abandoned us. We didn't hear from you for a whole year. You never called us nor did you send mail etc. What are the odds that you came by because "you were in the neighborhood?" Philippa emphasized the last words and shot him a very skeptical look. John just nodded, agreeing silently.

Nimrod chuckled. He went from chuckling to laughing hysterically in a matter of seconds. The twins almost dropped their jaws in sheer disbelief. Nimrod eventually calmed down and took the role of an adult.

"You are right kids, I'm sorry I didn't call you. I have been… busy. It just didn't seem like the right time to call you." Nimrod sighed and smiled apologetically.

"It's all right." The twins said in unison.

"So, what's up?" John asked, sitting back in the couch. Phil pulled her legs up beneath her and started feeling a little excited.

"I'm afraid something is going on in the world of djinn. I have sensed it for a long time now, but… Anyhow, I want the two of you to help me. We have to go see Faustina first" John blushed slightly at the mention of The Blue Djinn, "I'll explain later, but for now, I just want to do some catching up, how about you?" Nimrod smiled in a devilish manner. He looked Philippa in the eye and smirked. She caught on to what he was signaling. She squealed with delight and ran to get their game of djinn verso ready.

Meanwhile John took a seat beside Nimrod. "Where's Groanin?" he asked. Nimrod thought about it for a second. "He's out running an errand for me. I expect him to be back later this evening." That sounded a bit fishy in John's ears, but he let it go. Once Philippa was back, the three of them played for a long time. John had also taken an interest in djinn verso some time ago and Phil had taught him, but he was nowhere near her level yet.

One thing Nimrod noticed was that the twins knew each other way better than expected. It seemed like they had some sort of mental connection. When he played against them one-on-one, he won easily, but when they teamed up, they were a lot harder to deal with. They almost read each other's minds and they teamwork was flawless. They didn't seem to notice themselves, though.

"Say kids, what have you been doing for the past year?" he asked, carefully watching their next move.

"Well, even though Mom no longer is involved with the djinn, she made sure we kept maintenance of our powers, so you could say, we have been training." Philippa said, looking at her uncle while John took care of rolling the dice.

"What kind of training exactly?"

"Physical as well as mental." John answered absentmindedly, concentrating fully on the game in before him.

"I see… Did you do it alone or together?" he asked. "Both" they answered together. Nimrod went silent. His mind drifted off, reflecting on the newly gathered information.

_If they have been training for a year, and are that close, they might actually pull it off. But then again, it's risky. I'll have to watch them carefully before jumping to conclusions. I'll have to consult Faustina as well, but maybe I can test them on my own. Hmm… What if…? No, that won't do. But then again, they are not ordinary twins…_ Nimrod's train of thought came to an end, when his nephew poked his arm slightly.

"-imrod… Nimrod! You lost!"

"Huh, what was that?" The redhead looked at the twins.

"You lost!" They shouted, high-fiving each other.

Nimrod looked at their game. His jaw almost hit the floor, when he realized how badly the teens had beaten him. He chuckled lightly after recovering the shock. They had won fair and square. He had only been taken by surprise, he concluded.

"Look John, he's spacing out again," Phil whispered, "he looked like that when we were playing as well." John thought about it. It wasn't like Nimrod to space out like that.

"What is it Nimrod?" Philippa asked, voicing John's thoughts.

"Huh, oh it's nothing…" He shrugged.

"Obviously it is something, since you keep spacing out." John replied.

Nimrod didn't know what to do. The twins were sharp, they would know if he lied. On the other hand, it was too soon to tell them. Too caught up in his dilemma, he didn't notice the doorbell, before John rose to his feet to open. Philippa still waited patiently for his answer, her eyes never leaving his own. Just as he was about to make a half-assed excuse, John interrupted him.

"Hey Phil, look who's here!" John called from the entrance. Philippa got up from her seat and went to the door of the living room. She peeked out curiously and her eyes widened when she recognized the man beside her brother.

"Groanin!" she yelled and hugged the butler.

"Good evening missy!" he laughed as he hugged her back.

The arrival of his butler had saved Nimrod, and he realized how grateful he was for having him. He made a mental note to reward him later and went to greet him. The twins were smart, he had to be careful from now on.

"There you are Groanin. Everything went well?" he asked quietly.

"Hello Sir, things went smoothly. Everything is being taken care of." Groanin answered in the same tone. The two adults followed the excited twins back to the living room.

"Look at that! The two of you sure have grown! I say, you sure have grown! John, my boy, you are almost as tall as I am, and miss Philippa, what a lovely young lady you have become." Groanin said grinning. The twins blushed and looked away at the same time.

Just as Groanin pointed out, they had grown. John was a lot taller and more handsome than before. He made the girls swoon with his boyish charm and his smile. Philippa had also grown – in other ways – she was also a bit taller. She had gained some curves over the past few months and now had an admirable figure. Her hair was longer and wavier now, and she had replaced her glasses with contact lenses. A lot of girls from their school envied her, not only because she was John's twin, but because she was smart, kind and pretty as well. Countless guys had confessed to Phil before, but she had never shown any interest in them. John too, didn't have any interest in the many girls who swarmed around him.

"You look great as well, mr. Groanin!" Phil chirped. The respectful titles were a joke between Groanin and the young djinn. "Have you lost weight?" she asked, happiness radiating from her.

"Well, miss, not to brag, but I've lost 24 lb!" Groanin puffed out his chest looking very macho and earned a giggle from Phil. John looked at him in amazement. Groanin didn't only look slim and young, he looked awesome! His charisma was overwhelming. Confidence, happiness, contentment and all the beautiful things in life radiated from the butler. The twins, who were very fond of the butler, didn't waste a second before telling him about the past year. They unconsciously ended each other's sentences to the great amusement of the adults.

"All right kids, before you keep us up the rest of the night. We have some important things to discuss with you." Nimrod said. The small group moved to the kitchen. Once he sat down, Nimrod folded his hands in a very business-like way. Groanin sighed and muttered something inaudible under his breath. John and Phil shared a look that clearly said "adventure". They sat down around the table.

"You remember I told you, we had to go see Faustina, right?" the twins nodded, "the reason behind our sudden visit is, well, how do I tell you…? Iblis has been freed and he is now planning something grand. We don't know his whereabouts or his plans, but we do know who freed him." Nimrod took a deep breath and looked at the twins. A not-so-pleasant thought came to Philippa followed closely by a nagging feeling in the pit of her stomach.

"It was Dybbuk." Nimrod announced. John peeked at his sister. He knew that she – still – had feelings for their old friend. She seemed a little sad, but was playing the cool card. John smiled to himself. This was one of the things he admired about his sister the most. She always stayed strong and kept her cool.

"For the past year, I have been studying a new kind of bindings, and I think I might have found one, strong enough to take care of Iblis. This is why we have to go see Faustina. So here's the plan. We divide into two teams with two persons each. Team A will be John and Groanin, you two have an appointment with an old acquaintance of mine here in New York and then you are to meet up with us. Philippa, you and I are headed to Germany as team B."

"Jawohl!" Philippa said happily. Then it hit her that John maybe wanted to go see Faustina. She looked over at her twin only to realize how much he longed for adventure. He seemed to be perfectly fine with the teams.

They then ate dinner, chatted for a while and went to bed. Nimrod and Groanin would take care of persuading their parents. John was busy packing in his room when Phil knocked on the door frame.

"Can I come in?" She asked, already knowing the answer.

"Sure!" John was in high spirits.

"You cleaned your room." Phil stated.

"Yeah." He replied. They were quiet for a while, John packing and Phil watching him from her seat on his bed.

"Is something wrong, Phil?" John asked concerned. He stopped packing and sat down next to her on the bed.

"Huh? No… yes… I don't know. That's what I wanted to ask you. Are you okay with not going to Germany? I mean, it's been a long time since you last saw her…We can switch teams. I don't mind going with Groanin." She didn't mention Faustina's name, since they both knew who she was referring to. Philippa went quiet as John started laughing.

"That's what you are worried about?" he asked. He continued when she nodded, "Sure, seeing her would be nice, but we haven't been on an adventure for so long! I've missed doing things out of the ordinary, and I'm going to see her eventually. Don't worry about it." He assured his sister with a smile. Philippa couldn't help, but smile herself.

"Wow, John. That's very mature of you." She smiled, patted his shoulder, and stood up. Right before she left, John called out to her.

"Phil?" He aslmost whispered. A part of him hoped she wouldn't hear him, but at the same time, he had so much he wanted to ask her.

"Yeah?" she turned around. He knew how hard it was for her to speak about Dybbuk, but he wanted to make sure she was okay. She was putting up a strong act, but John knew how vulnerable she was. He didn't want to break her defenses, but sooner or later, he would have to. Should he ask or leave it alone? He chose the latter.

"Thanks for asking and being so considerate of me. It means a lot to me. You know, you can always tell me, if you have something on your mind." That was the best he could do, without asking directly or making her feel alone.

"I know. Thanks," she went back and gave him a hug, "goodnight." She whispered before leaving.

"'Night, Phil."

When Philippa was back in her room and had packed her bags. She brushed her teeth, changed and laid down on her bed. A single tear escaped her eye followed by quiet sobs.

"What have you done, Dybbuk?" she whispered in the dark. She fell asleep and dreamt of jungles, Indians, and a certain someone splitting in two and crushing one half.

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****_Edited 15.06.2012: Changed djinns to djinn. _

**Phew! That took a while! Hehehe, Nimrod is plotting something... And don't worry, he's not turning evil and selling the twins to a goat breeder. Oh, and jawohl is German for yes. I would be very happy if you reviewed. Reviews equals cookies! Have a nice day! ^ ^**


	3. Departure

**I am so sorry! I haven't updated for so long and I'm so sorry to have kept you waiting! I really tried to get this done, but somehow I couldn't adn I really didn't want to post a half-assed chapter. I was on holiday for a month and after coming back, school started and I got a part-time job as a private home tutor. I feel so bad for not uploading, but I just couldn't finish it. I promise I will update at least once a month from now on! Oh, and thank you so much for the reviews! They really inspire me to write. Okay, so this chapter may be a little confusing, but I hope you will read it anyway. Enjoy adn please don't be mad at me for being such an irresponsible Tito.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own CofL. **

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**Departure**

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"G'morning Phil!" John chirped from the stairs when Philippa got out of her room.

"Morning." She replied calmly sending her brother a small smile. It was impossible to stay depressed when John was so cheerful. The twins hurried downstairs to say their goodbyes to their parents. Edward and Layla were already standing in the entrance, waiting patiently for their children. Once they were there, Layla moved forward.

"Have a safe trip, kids." She said and kissed them both on their foreheads. The twins proceeded to hug their father, who whispered for them to take care of each other.

"We will." They ensured simultaneously. Once they were done, they went outside to meet their uncle and his butler.

Nimrod and Groanin were standing beside Nimrod's car discussing something. Both of them looked like they were in deep thought. John and Philippa exchanged looks and made their way towards them. When none of them noticed their presence, Philippa decided to break the silence.

"So where are we going Nimrod?" She asked curiously.

"There has been a little change of plans. We are going to Italy and from there we will split up, but for now I need the two of you to focus on a task." Nimrod calmly explained.

"What kind of task?" the twins asked suspiciously.

"Hmm… You can think of it like a kind of meditation. You will be searching your soul for answers and… well… it's hard to explain. Just give me a second to think…" Nimrod said. Meanwhile the four of them sat down in the car. Groanin started driving towards the airport and Nimrod tried to explain his task.

"Okay, kids. I'm now going to explain a term we djinn refer to as "diving". Listen closely, it's very important that you know what it is, but it's hard to explain and even harder to understand," Nimrod looked at the two young djinn before continuing, "Anyways, a long time ago, there lived a very wise djinn that was called Maco. He lived in the outskirts of a little village. Actually, he lived in a house built upon a mountain right beside the village. The only way to get to Maco's house was to climb a lot of stairs. Maco was a friendly man, but he lived very isolated. The villagers would come to him whenever they were facing some kind of trouble, and Maco would always guide them." Nimrod carefully explained. He turned his attention to Groanin who was busy driving before continuing.

"Whenever the villagers came to him, Maco would sit down for a second and concentrate fully before solving the problem. This is where it gets tricky, kids, you see, Maco liked to think. A lot. And he was very good at it. Being djinn combined with being a great thinker, Maco was able to search his soul for answers. Or rather, dive into his soul for answers. The villagers thought of Maco as a man with great knowledge and they respected him very much. Maco had an apprentice, who also was djinn, and he taught him to "dive" as well. This skill was passed down to other djinn, it was slowly forgotten. Today, not many djinn know of "diving". Nimrod finished with a nod.

"So, if you dive, you can get answers for everything?" Philippa asked slowly, taking in what she had learned.

"No. Not everything. Here is the second part of the story. "Diving" isn't a way to get answers for everything. When you "dive", you are in a different mental state. It's like having hyper-intuition. The villagers thought of Maco as a Messiah, but he was just a very smart djinn. You see, when you need an answer for something you can "dive" and your intuitions will sky-rocket. And your intuition is what helps you solve the problem; you don't get the actual answer from diving. That is one of its two purposes. The other purpose for diving is to understand yourself and finding your inner strength. You can think of it as a form of meditation." Nimrod explained.

He was right, it was a little hard to understand, but John and Philippa were excited to learn about this new concept.

"Are we there yet, Groanin?" Nimrod asked his butler.

"We will arrive shortly, sir." He replied and turned around a corner. The group of four were now in the far end of New York. The twins had never been here before. A question formed in John's head and he tapped Nimrod on the shoulder.

"Why did you tell us all this, uncle?" He asked already knowing the answer.

"Because I want the two of you to "dive"." He replied calmly sending his nephew a wide smile.

"Awesome!" John said.

Not long after, Groanin stopped the car outside a museum-like building. It was huge with a lot of smaller sections attached to it. John was sure he would get lost in there, but a sudden urge to explore the place overwhelmed him. Groanin got out of the car and left the three djinn inside. He quickly walked up to the front entrance and disappeared out of sight in no time.

"Where did Mr. Groanin go?" Philippa asked a little confused.

"Well, he's going to pick up some things we are going to need." Nimrod said.

"Is this where he was yesterday as well?" Philippa asked..

"Yes." Nimrod said a little impressed ay his niece's insight.

"Hey, Nimrod?" John asked.

"What is it, my boy?" Nimrod turned and looked at his nephew from the front seat.

"How did you persuade Mom and Dad to let us come along?" He continued curiously.

"Well, it wasn't exactly easy and it took us half the night. Your Mom doesn't really want you to come with me as it is so dangerous, but she knows how important it is that you join me." Nimrod scratched his chin.

Meanwhile, Groanin returned with a medium-sized box. He sat down in the car and handed Nimrod the box.

"Here you go, sir." The butler said before starting the car and pulling out from their parking spot.

"Thank you." Nimrod replied, quietly inspecting the contents of the box. The twins were very curious, but they didn't ask about the box. Instead they focused on the road ahead. They were headed towards a big hotel with a blue neon sign on top. "Hotel Sunrise" it said.

"Kids, we are going to meet someone here. It won't be long and then we will head straight to the airport. We have very much to do, so we better hurry." The elder djinn looked up from the boz.

"Okay." The twins replied in unison.

A few minutes later, the three djinn got out of the car and left Mr. Groanin inside. They quickly entered the lobby and Nimrod guided them towards a dining hall. It was decorated beautifully and a lot of chandeliers lit up the whole place. The hall was nearly empty despite being so attractive.

"Oh, there she is!" Nimrod said and headed towards a table in the secluded area. There was a lady sitting all alone at one of the tables. She had black hair and was wearing a green dress, but somehow, she seemed familiar.

"Hello Nimrod, John and Philippa." She greeted once the three djinn sat down at her table.

"Jenny!" Philippa gasped. She was sitting across from no other than Jenny Sachertorte,

"Long time no see. Look at how much you have grown!" she exclaimed happily. Nimrod wasted no time doing small talk, and quickly cut to the chase.

"Jenny, I want you to check up on the twins to see of they are ready." He said taking the role of a business man. Jenny nodded and rose from the table.

"John, Philippa, follow me please." She said and led them out of the dining hall. They headed straight for the elevator, but due to the twins' claustrophobia, the two of them chose the stairs to Jenny's suite at the 5th floor. Once they were there, Jenny started doing a lot of tests and sked them a lot of questions about their summer so far. She was being as friendly as always, but Phil couldn't shake the feeling of uneasiness. Jenny had been through so much with Dybbuk disappearing and Faustina becoming the blue djinn of Babylon, and yet she seemed perfectly fine. She was a very strong woman.

"Alright kids, everything is fine. You can go back to Nimrod now." She said and packed some of her equipment.

"Okay." They said a little confused. Jenny held them back for a couple of minutes and then hugged them both.

"Good luck, kids. Take care of each other." She said.

"We will." John and Phil assured her. They then walked out to Nimrod who was waiting in the lobby. They quickly told him everything Jenny had said, and went outside to the car.

"Great. You two are ready to dive now, but first, we have to go to Germany. We need to see Faustina." Nimrod said and sat down in the car. Groanin started the engine and drove to the nearest airport. They had a long way ahead of them and they were better of starting now.

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**Done! So what do you think about "diving"? Btw, the chapters will be a little short from now on, but there will be more of them. If there was somethign that confused you, you are more than welcome to PM me or leace a review. And if you find some mistakes, please let me know. Thank you for reading and reviews still equal love and cookies! (=w=)/**


	4. New flames?

**Another update! Sorry it took so long, but I was really busy, and again I didn't want to post a half-assed chapter. So some parts may seem rushed, but please don't hate me for jumping through them. Other parts however, may seem like they take forever. The next few chapters will be better and make a lot more sense, I promise. From now on, I will be updating around the 3rd weekend of every month and I will be adding a short summary so that you don't have to re-reading the previous chapters. Anyways, enjoy!**

**Important: 2 potions will be mentioned further ahead. Dizziness Draught (DD), wich exhausts you and Dreamless Sleep potion that makes you sleep without dreaming. I know djinn don't use potions, but please let it go. It makes explaining certain things easier.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Children of the Lamp.**

_The story so far (whoosh!):  
John and Philippa have been told about diving and are now getting ready to attempt it. The group of four is currently headed to Germany to meet up with Faustina and from there on, they wil get on with their journey._

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**New flames?**

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"John, Philippa, you can start meditating now." Nimrod said. The group of four had been on their way to Faustina's mansion for hours, and were finally about to reach their destination. The flight had been very long and exhausting due to bad weather. John and Philippa had been inside of their lamps and used every minute of the flight to meditate. Nimrod had made it clear how crucial it was for them to be completely calm and relaxed. According to him, they were doing great, but they still lacked the needed patience.

"When we reach Faustina's mansion, you have to train a lot harder. Once you start diving, it will get really intense." He told them before they entered the plane. Nimrod and Groanin found their seats in no time and secured the twins in their lamps.

John and Philippa had installed computer screens in each of their lamps and were now able to communicate even when separated. This was a great help when they were bored or lonely or had something to discuss – like now. Their psychic connection told them, they both needed to turn on their screens. Once the transmission started, they cut to the chase.

"So basically, we have to improve our patience or we won't be able to make it when we have to dive?" Philippa half asked half stated. John nodded.

"Man! I wish Nimrod had told us how to do it!" He said distressed. His hands went up to his hair, which now was even more of a mess than usual.

"Of course he wouldn't tell us, you airhead!" Phil shot at him. "He knows that we'd probably try diving if we knew how to." She continued and rubbed her temples.

"Shut up…" John mumbled darkly. He looked away a little embarrassed, but glanced at his frustrated twin. She had closed her eyes and was taking deep breaths. The whole diving-thing was getting on her nerves. Nimrod was still very secretive, and didn't really explain to them why they needed to dive in the first place. Something was fishy, and they needed to figure out why.

"Anyways, did you find out anything about Maco?" He was referring to the research Phil had been doing in her "private" library. Philippa was a great fan of books and had now customized her lamp's interior to resemble something taken out of a fairy tale. She had a kitchen, a library and a comfortable living room, where her bed also stood, and a lot of secret rooms John knew existed, but hadn't found and explored yet. He didn't usually visit Philippa's lamp, but when he did, he made sure to explore some more of it.

"Not much. The only new information I found was that he apparently was a sage. Or so the civilians thought of him. It seems he wasn't much for mingling with the djinn society. He was a bit of a loner. But I did find something worth taking a look at. Albeit being a lone wolf, Maco had quite a few lovers, and he actually married one of them. Oh, and he is also our ancestor. We can trace our family tree back to him. I checked some of the others dating back at least a millennium, and they all mention Maco as founder of the tribes. Like it or not, we are slightly related to Iblis and Rudyard." Phil told him.

"You've got to be kidding me!" John exclaimed.

"I'm not. But what's even more interesting is the fact that Maco's late wife, Emi, gave birth to three sons, who turned out to be the first leaders of our tribes. And while we're at it, you might as well take a look at this." She continued and held up an ancient scroll. It was beautifully decorated and looked like something worthy of a king.

"What is it?" John asked. His curiosity had gotten the better of him and overruled his composure.

"It's a letter from Emi before she passed away. She addressed it to her children." Philippa explained and went through the contents.

"What's that got to do with anything?" John asked slightly confused.

"This is only a replica of the real thing, but I found something interesting. Here it is! Check this out: _My dear children. I'm writing this letter with my last bit of strength and I don't have much longer to live. It is sad to think that my time already has come. I had always pictured myself all gray and wrinkly and the three of you all grown up, but fate has already bound me by its chains. There is something I must tell you about your father. He has the ability to see things and he wants to pass this ability down to you. I know that you will be able to control the power you will be granted, and take on the huge responsibility that comes with it. Each of you, my dear children, will have to undergo a test, and you will all pass. Just remember to stay true to yourselves." _Philippa finished reading and looked eagerly at John.

"So…?" John was confused.

"Don't you see it John? Maco passed down diving to his children! And they received some sort of power from it. If I recall correctly, Nimrod said diving was like going into hyper-intuition-mode, but what if we used that strengthened intuition to draw out our inner power?" The redhead said.

"Slow down Phil! It sounds like something out of TV, but hey, you never know." John shrugged. "Anyway, we'll have to ask Nimrod about this. Let's just focus on meditating for now." John said and motioned for Philippa to get going. "I get it already." She replied with a pout. The twins turned off their screens and went back to their meditation. Not too long afterwards, the flight came to an end.

Meanwhile on the flight, Nimrod and Groanin had been discussing their plans and were now determined to have the twins dive. Nimrod wanted to tell them everything he knew, but he knew it could easily go wrong if he rushed, so he had to be patient. A few hours and a lot of baby food bottles later, the flight finally landed, and the group got out and got their luggage. They went to the entrance and found to their surprise that Faustina had sent someone to pick them up. Before leaving, Nimrod bought some juice for his nephew and niece who were more than delighted over the refreshment. After finishing, they entered the waiting vehicle and disembarked for their next destination.

They were finally on their way to her mansion. The drive wouldn't be much longer, but John and Philippa longed for fresh air and a walk. Soon the mansion was in sight, and it amazed them once again how different it looked from when Ayesha was living there. Once they reached the gates, Nimrod let out his nephew and niece. They were looking exhausted, but very calm. John and Philippa ran the last few meters to the staircase to get rid of all the nausea from travelling too long.

_I think they are ready now. Testing them won't be necessary, but Faustina might want to know about this._ Nimrod thought to himself. He didn't have time to think about it any further. They had arrived and were now pulling up between the staircase and the fountain in Faustina's garden. They were just about to climb up the stairs when the group noticed someone standing at the top of the stairs.

"Welcome Nimrod, John, Philippa and Mr. Groanin." Faustina greeted with a smile. Despite being the blue djinn of Babylon, she greeted them in her usual happy manner. John couldn't help but feel his smile widen. Faustina was even prettier than the last time he had seen her. She looked more feminine now, but still had that cute, little girl-look. He caught himself staring at her and quickly looked away. Faustina was wearing a yellow sundress and flip-flops despite it being a little chilly outside. She was looking nothing less than stunning – in John's opinion – and her warm smile lit up her whole aura.

"Faustina!" Philippa squeeled and ran up the stairs to hug her friend. Said friend chuckled and hugged the redhead.

"How have you been, Phil? You have changed so much! I love your hair!" The girls giggled and did some small-talk. Meanwhile the rest of the group climbed the stairs.

"Hello, Faustina." Nimrod greeted and patted her head like a child's. Faustina just sent him a sour look and turned to greet John.

"Hey, John." Faustina greeted and flashed him a smile. She leaned forward and gave him a hug.

"Hey." John relied returning the hug. He couldn't help but notice how perfectly she fit in his arms, or how soft her hair was or how nice she smelled. His heart beat a little faster at the moment of contact, but went back to beating normally, when he, much to his own dismay, let go of her. He took a step back and gave Groanin some space. He then observed the Blue djinn a little flabbergasted. She was absolutely gorgeous! Her beauty could be compared to that of his sister's.

"Good day Miss. How have you been? You have grown a lot, I said, you have grown a lot!" Groanin shook hands with her. "Just fine Mr. Groanin. Now, if you will please follow me. The food is ready and steaming hot."

She led the way inside the maze-like mansion. She had re-decorated the whole place and left a touch of Faustina everywhere. John felt a sudden urge to explore the whole place, but he was rather hungry, so he kept his excitement at bay. Philippa didn't waste a second catching up and John was a little surprised his sister had taken such a liking to Faustina. He couldn't help but smile, though. He hadn't seen Philippa that excited for a long time.

Faustina opened two huge doors with a wave of her hand and they entered a dining hall at the size of a museum. The red carpet was soft and gave a nice, warm illumination of the room. The walls were decorated with beautiful paintings everywhere and the chandeliers glinted in the sunlight streaming in from the huge windows. The hall itself wasn't that big, but the furniture made it look huge.

The group of djinn and Groanin sat down around the table and dug in. With the speed of sound, John finished his food and to everyone's amusement asked for seconds. There was plenty of food and everyone wanted to share something about what they had been up to the whole time. The twins were gradually getting sleepier and sleepier. Nimrod handed them some water hoping it would clear their heads and wake them up.

"How come you never visited me?" Fasutina asked the twins. Before they got the chance to answer, Nimrod cut them off.

"Faustina, I have something important to discuss with you." Nimrod said and placed down the drink he had been emptying himself.

"Sure, let's head to my office." Faustina finished the contents of her glass and led the way. "John, Phil? Why don't you go get warmed up in the sauna?" She suggested and had someone take them to their rooms that both had their own sauna.

At this point, the twins were on the brink of exhaustion, so they didn't decline. They looked like they were about to pass out and leave their bodies for good. Meanwhile Groanin went to his own room to get some sleep. He pitied the young twins, but he knew, they had to go through it on their own. He just prayed everything would turn out all right. The twins were talented without a doubt, but the whole diving procedure was risky. Many djinn had attempted to dive only to fail and suffer from the terrifying consequences. In the opposite site of the mansion, Nimrod and Fasutina entered her office and made their way to her dark mahogany desk. Her office was looking very much like that of an adult's. and one thing was evident on the interior. Faustina was one organized djinn.

"What are you up to, Nimrod? And you better have a damn good explanation for giving your nephew and niece Dizziness Draught." Faustina sat down in her leather chair and motioned for Nimrod to take a seat across from her.

"I'm impressed you noticed. As expected of the Blue Djinn." The older djinn chuckled. "Yes, I gave them some Dizziness Draught, but only enough for them to get exhausted. I mixed it in some juice, I gave them earlier. The reason I wanted to talk to you in private, is the reason, I gave them DD. You see, after I returned from Italy last summer, I kept my eye on the twins. They have grown a lot more than expected and I think it will be a good idea if they dive." Nimrod leaned forward, placed his elbows on the desk and tucked his hands under his chin. Faustina took a deep breath and rubbed her temples.

"Nimrod. Have you completely lost your mind?!" She raised her voice slightly. A sign she was getting upset and worried. "There is no way they are able to dive! How could you even think about making them do it? Have you even considered the consequences? You know as well as I do how risky it is to dive!" Faustina seethed. "If they don't make it, they will go nuts or even worse, end up like emotionless dolls. If they get lost in their inner maze, they won't ever get out."

"I know and I take full responsibility for anything that could possibly happen. But Faustina, can't you see it? If they dive, they will both acquire a new power; a new flame. I'm sure you already know that Iblis and Rudyard have been freed by Dybbuk. We have to stop them before they end everything we hold dear." Nimrod was starting to lose his composure. Convincing Faustina wasn't going as smoothly as planned.

"You are out of your mind thinking diving will accomplish anything." Faustina shook her head in disbelief. She took a deep breath and calmed herself. "You mentioned a new flame. How do you know about such a thing? Is it related to you trip to Italy?" The Blue djinn's gaze would have burned holes in any other person, but Nimrod knew, she was trying to read his intention through his eyes. Even if she was young, most djinn respected her out of admiration or something resembling fear.

"Bullseye. Last year when I went to Italy, I found new ways to make bindings, but as I reached for more advanced ones, I stumbled across something related to diving. It was a scroll – no, a letter – and I found something interesting in it. You know the whole tale about Maco, right?" Fastina nodded, sensing something important was coming up. "It seems Maco had his three sons dive, and they all drew out a new flame from their inner strength. You know how the inner flame of a djinn is an orange or red-ish shade, right? Maco's sons's flames changed colors after they dove. They went from orange to blue, violet and green. The Blue Flame of Truth, the Violet Flame of Strength and the Green flame of Knowledge. I believe that John and Philippa most likely will obtain one of these." Nimrod went quiet and gave Faustina some space to think.

"Are you sure there isn't any other option?" Faustina asked on the verge of desperation.

"Positive."

"What makes you sure that they'll make it?" She asked suspiciously.

"Well, the night I visited them, I gave them a Dreamless sleep potion, but both of them dreamt that night anyway. Their minds are very strong and they have developed a very unique bond to each other. Have you noticed how they always know what the other is going to say or how they know they are being approached from behind?" Nimrod scratched his chin. "Trust me on this one, Faustina. They will make it."

"Where?" Nimrod didn't need additional words to know that she was asking about the location for the diving spot.

"On Mesci Island." Faustina raised a brow in surprise, but nodded.

For a second Nimrod was worried Faustina would refuse, but the second he noticed her tense shoulders relax, he knew she had made up her mind.

"All right. I'll allow it. But I'll take them to my chamber tomorrow and have them do it once. I want to make sure they know what they are up to. And you stay away from their food. You have drugged them more than enough already. Now, go to sleep and let me think." The Blue Djinn shooed him away and he got up from his seat. With a silent "goodnight" he headed out the door. Once Nimrod left her office, Faustina exhaled long and hard.

_Diving? You've got to be kidding me! _She thought, _sure John and Phil are powerful djinn, but so many before them have already failed and some of them even died. _Faustina was starting to get nervous about this whole affair. Dybbuk had freed Iblis and Rudyard, and his whereabouts were still unknown. On top of that Nimrod planned on taking the twins to Mesci? Faustina was certain he had lost his sanity somewhere.

"You never cease to amaze me, Nimrod." She sighed again and got up and left for bed.

* * *

**Done! What do you think? I would love to hear your opinions,if you have any constructive criticism or if you want to point out grammatical errors. You are more than welcome to PM or leave a review if you have questions about something. Reviews equal cyber-cookies! Love, Tito (=w=)/**


	5. Making the first move

**Hi! I hope you all had a lovely Christmas and I wish you a happy new year! Meanwhile I managed to finish this chappie. It's a bit long, but I'm satisfied with it. So, a lot of things are going to be mentioned, so it might get a little confusing, but try to read it through. Oh, and I didn't get much feedback last time, I hope the previous chapter wasn't that bad? :( I would appreciate it very much, if you'd tell me where I could do better. Allright, ranting me is done. It took me a while, but here it is. I present to you, the 5th chapter of Silverflame of the Heart! Enjoy!**

'_Thoughts' _

**John's mind**

_Phil's mind_

"Talk"

**Disclaimer: I don't own Children of the Lamp.**

* * *

**Making the first move.**

* * *

After a peaceful night John woke up by himself, and felt oddly good. John wasn't much of a morning person, but this particular morning, he couldn't have felt any better. Everything seemed great despite Iblis and co. planning something grand. John lifted off the covers and made his way to the window. He remembered how nauseous he had felt before sleeping and wanted to get some fresh air. Once he opened the window and gratefully let in a chilly breeze, he noticed something weird. His head was clear. The memories of the previous day were all foggy, and when John thought back, he remembered his vision being blurry and his head being very heavy. The only thing John remembered clearly was Faustina. She was drop-dead gorgeous! John blushed at the thought of having hugged her, but quickly shook it off. It wasn't that big a deal. He had things to do and places to be. He shouldn't be wasting time thinking about the Blue Djinn no matter how pretty she was or how good she smelled.

Once John was fully dressed, he went to Philippa's room to wake her up. Phil loved sleeping in and John doubted that she already was awake. He reached her door and knocked on it. No answer. He tried again and heard a distant "Go away". John chuckled and entered her room. The orange curtains were drawn and bathed the room in a warm light, just the way Philippa liked. John made his way towards her bed. He could barely make out her silhouette underneath the covers, but her bright red hair was still visible.

"Good morning sunshine!" John called out to his sister. Philippa mumbled something in a semi-awake state. Yup, she wasn't much of an early-riser. He heard her sigh long and hard before addressing him.

"What is it John?" Philippa yawned and peeked out from under the covers.

"Just wanted to see how you were doing, but hey, just sleep some more. I'll come later." John said and headed for the door. Before leaving he heard a faint "Okay" and saw from the corner of his eye that his sister buried herself under her duvet. John shook his head with a smile and went out her room. John decided to explore the mansion a little and went down the hallway he and Philippa were roomed in. He made it to a staircase at the far end of the hallway, before he realized how hungry he was. So instead of going up the stairs, he went down to get some breakfast.

He entered the dining hall and saw much to his dismay that no one was there. Some of Faustina's servants showed up from the kitchen area and made John sit down. He took a seat by the long side of the table and looked around in the huge room. Faustina sure knew how to decorate walls. Everywhere he looked, he saw beautiful and rare paintings. Now that John looked closer, the opposite end of the room reminded him somewhat of a living room complete with loveseats, chaise longs and a fireplace. The whole setting made John itch. He wanted so badly to sit in front of the fireplace and just fall asleep. It reminded him of the evenings with his parents and Phil.

'_Mom, dad. What are you doing right now?'_ He thought.

The servant, who had approached John earlier, returned with a huge stack of pancakes. The smell evaded his nose and his mouth started watering. Damn, they looked good! John wasted no time and dug in right away. He stuffed his face without noticing someone taking a seat at the broad end of the table. It was when he heard a slight chuckle that he looked up from devouring his meal.

_Crap!_ He mentally yelled. His mouth was too full of pancake to say anything. Faustina chuckled again.

"Good morning, John." She said in her angelic voice causing John's heart to leap.

"M-mornin'!" He almost choked.

"It seems like you are enjoying your breakfast. Are the pancakes good?" She asked. John gulped down his food and nodded. His face became a little flushed and he started fidgeting with his cutlery.

"I'm glad you think so!" She smiled. Faustina wasn't much for being formal among friends and even though she still was affected by the tree of wisdom, she relaxed considerably in front of him.

"So… um… What do you think about this whole diving thing?" John asked in an attempt to lead his thoughts away from her beautiful face. Not that it worked, though. He kept catching himself staring at her. Something in Faustina's eyes changed. In a matter of seconds she went from smiling to almost frowning.

"The thing is… Diving isn't a walk in the park, you know? Many djinn have died attempting to dive. It's risky." Faustina bit her lower lip as if she prevented herself from speaking any further.

"Hey guys!" Philippa had entered the dining hall and took a seat next to her brother, "what's up?"

"Hey, Phil. Did you sleep well?" Faustina asked, her face instantly brightening up.

"Sure did!" the redhead replied.

"Wait a second… Where's Nimrod and Groanin?" John suddenly asked.

"Oh, they are out taking care of something. It's just going to be us today," Faustina told them, "once we are done eating, you two are going to dive."

"What?" The twins yelled in unison.

* * *

"Okay, so first of all, this is going to be a rather unexpected experience for you. I will be here the whole time and make sure nothing goes wrong. Oh, and while you are diving, your Neshamah might feel like it's weakening, but don't worry, nothing is wrong." The Blue Djinn explained walking back and forth in front of the twins. "Anyways, the trick to the whole thing is to realize." She continued.

"Um… Realize what exactly?" Philippa asked a little insecure.

"I'm glad you asked. Realize as in realize everything around you. Your senses will be strengthened many times, but you will leave your body temporarily. Or rather, your consciousness will. So, while I take care of your bodies, you two will be roaming around in your minds," She paused briefly and looked at the twins intently, "I think the best way to experience it, is to try it yourself, so are you up for it?" The twins looked at each other without a trace of doubt and back at Faustina, nodding eagerly.

"All right then." She gestured for them to follow her into the middle of the room they were in. The walls were painted in a weird color none of the twins could define. It was almost as if they didn't have any color, but at the same time, it felt like they were looking at an ocean of colors. There were no windows and the entrance they had used was colored with the same thing as the walls making it impossible to tell where the door started and the wall ended. The ceiling too was a mixture of no colors and many colors. The room felt strangely circular and very spacious. It felt as though they were inside a sphere. The three djinn sat down on the floor and Faustina took a deep breath.

"Close your eyes. Take a deep breath and exhale." She instructed. The twins did as they were told and slowly found themselves breathing in a slow rhythm. "Imagine a dark cave. You are standing in the middle of it. Now, start walking forward slowly. See that light? Follow it." The blue djinn continued. She was a little sacred, she would mess up, but she knew, she had to keep going.

* * *

**The cave John stood in was pitch-black. No sources of light anywhere. It was a little cold, but his eyes and body soon adjusted to his new surroundings. He could still hear Faustina's voice. She told him to walk forward? Okay. He did, now what? Wait, was that light? Yeah, that was definitely light. Seemed like sunlight. John followed it and ended up in a hidden entrance behind a waterfall. **

"**Awesome!" He gaped in awe.**

* * *

_Philippa stood on a soft carpet of moss. She looked around and noticed how the moss covered the cliffs and rocks in front of her, all the way to the opening of the cave exit. Water was flowing through the cave with soft splashes, and the walls in the cave gave off a soft, red light. Philippa wondered about it for a second, until she looked at the skyline and noticed that the sun was setting. She neared the wall and carefully ran her fingers along it._

"_Of course…" she whispered. The walls were coated with some sort of light-reflecting crystal, which explained the reddish glow._

_She turned back to where the exit was and slowly made her way to the opening. The sky was a deep orange with clouds lazily floating around. On either side of the opening, Philippa could see flat rock panels on top of each other, covered with vegetation and small animals, going all the way down. The cave was carved into a huge rock at the size of a baby-mountain._

* * *

"Now you should be standing near the edge of a small waterfall. There are plants everywhere, birds are chirping and flowers are blooming. Look down now. The waterfall flows into a small river. You have to follow the river, but first, jump. Don't be scared, don't close your eyes and feel the whistling of the wind around you. Land in the water, feel the small waves around you and breathe. Now find your way to the shore." Faustina waited for any visual signs indicating they were following her. She noticed Philippa shivering slightly and went back to guiding them.

"Look around you. Listen closely to the insects' buzzing, what are they saying?" Short pause, "Follow them wherever they take you."

* * *

_Philippa was soaring through the air. She wasn't scared. She just enjoyed the feel of the wind in her hair and all around her. She was in control. She maneuvered her body, turning her into a human arrow and sliced through the calm water surface. She felt the water embrace her and followed an upward going current. Her head and upper body broke through the water once again and she inhaled deeply. Looking around, she noticed that the whole place was a beautiful lagoon. Butterflies were floating through the air near her and lazily swayed in the wind. Once Philippa reached the grass surrounding the water, the butterflies gently swirled around her, catching her attention. _

"_Wow" she gasped._

* * *

**John was standing near a huge river. He looked around and noticed a vague resemblance in the scenery. It was familiar to something he had seen before. There was a forest on his right side and a doe was curiously peeking out from between the trees. Insects were flying and buzzing all around him. They were heading towards a clearing with small, golden fruits hanging from short trees. John did as he was told and followed them. The scent of the fruits was intoxicating and had it not been for a couple of fireflies swirling above a chest, he would surely have taken time to taste one. The fireflies rose once John came close and started buzzing around. The chest was made of wood and looked like something taken out of a pirate story. He opened it curiously, only to be disappointed. It was empty. But suddenly something glittered in the bottom of it and rose up. It looked like small particles of silver mist forming a mirror. John looked into the mirror and almost dropped his jaw. The mirror was showing a small clip from one of his memories. He looked around frantically searching for other chests. A sudden impulse told him to look for more fireflies and he followed it.**

* * *

"All right. Search for something that catches your attention. Something unusual." Faustina was starting to get a little worried. The twins – especially John – were looking very pale. Philippa looked somewhat calm, while John almost panted for air. She hoped they would find their source quickly.

* * *

**Wherever there was a gathering of a few fireflies, there would be a wooden chest somewhere close. All of the chests he had found so far had showed him his memories from a long time ago. There was one chest that caught his eye. It was placed on top of a weird looking stone. The stone looked regular on the bottom, but the upper half looked like it had been sliced off with a clean cut. On the surface stood said chest, just waiting to be opened. John felt his heart sink. The chest was giving him goose bumps. It didn't seem dangerous in any way, but he feared what it contained and he had a bad feeling it had something to do with Philippa. He didn't know why, though. John gulped and reached for the lid. There was only one way to find out what it contained. John's eyes widened and his breath got stuck in his throat. **

**After having seen the memories in the last chest, John had been nudged forward by some butterflies. The slowly led him out of the clearing to an even bigger one. John looked around in amazement. He was standing in a huge clearing surrounded by trees. Animals of every size were waiting for him patiently. They were expecting him to do something, he figured. He looked back to the middle of the clearing. It was slightly elevated and had a type of pedestal on the top. It was made of white stone and had beautiful patterns on it. He felt the urge to touch it, feel the cool surface of the stone and trace his fingers on the patterns. One thing bugged him, though. The pedestal was empty. It didn't have a statue or an object standing on top of it. It called out to him and John felt himself being pulled closer. Once he was standing right in front of it, he realized, a little flickering light pulsating dimly. It slowly turned white and glowed even brighter, and then it turned to an explosion of colors, mesmerizing John. It started shifting between shades of blue, green and purple. His hands reached out to touch it. The second his fingers entered the light, it exploded in a white flash.**

* * *

_The light was so beautiful Philippa lost her breath. It was glowing a million shades of every color and was simply intoxicating. The flower meadow she stood in was bathed in light and the flowers gained new life. The light faded into shades of blue, purple and green with a tint of silver. _

"_Could it be?" She whispered and reached for the light. Her fingers were almost there. Just as her slender fingers reached the center of the light it stopped glowing and burst into a white flash._

* * *

Next thing John knew, Faustina was shaking him awake, calling his name repeatedly. He opened his eyes and slowly sat up. Faustina gripped his arm tightly, supporting him until he had steadied himself. He felt lightheaded, dizzy and strangely content. Philippa woke up too. She was looking a little disoriented, but otherwise fine. She rubbed her eyes and sat up as well.

"Are you all right?" Faustina asked concern evident in her expression. Her lips were pressed into a thin line and a little crease was visible between her brows.

"Yeah… I guess…" John muttered and got up from the floor. He was shaking a little and moving around seemed difficult for the djinn. He still made it to his sister.

"You okay, Phil?" John asked and helped her up.

"Yeah…" She answered. They both went silent for a few seconds before an impulse made them look up. Philippa and John exchanged a look and their expressions changed from being semi-shocked to full of excitement.

"That was so awesome!" They yelled in unison and high-fived each other. Faustina shook her head in disbelief. They didn't understand anything. She was about to tell them something, when she was interrupted by someone almost shouting.

"Well done twins!" A familiar voice echoed through the room. The three djinn turned to find Nimrod standing a few feet away.

"Nimrod? You are back?" Philippa asked a little surprised.

"Yes. Follow me please." He said and led them out. Something was weird, but the twins couldn't place a finger on it. They slowly followed their uncle with Faustina trailing behind them. They entered Faustina's library and headed for the couches and loveseats in the corner. John shot Faustina a worried look, but she didn't seem to notice. She had been awfully quiet for a while now. John was about to ask her about it, but Nimrod caught his attention.

"So kids, how was your experience?" The elder djinn asked and sat down at the couch.

"Weird and awesome… I mean, it was like entering a whole new world inside your head!" John answered with a nod of approval from his sister.

"Good. Did you find anything… unusual?" Nimrod slowly asked. The twins looked at each other. They were obviously thinking of the same thing and Nimrod was being incredible cautious for some reason.

"Light." They answered simultaneously. Nimrod raised a brow and scratched his chin. John decided to keep quiet about the memory chests. There was no need for the others to know about it.

"So you saw the light…" He clasped his hands together and twined his fingers.

"All right, kids. There are a lot of things we have to discuss. You seem a little confused. Perhaps there is something you want to ask?" Nimrod stated.

"Well… What was that light? And how come Faustina could guide us like that?" John asked.

"That light… All right. I guess we have to start from the beginning. You see, Maco had three sons and they were also djinn. He made them dive and they each obtained a new flame from it. The first son gained the Blue Flame of Truth, the second got the Green Flame of Wisdom and the third got the Purple Flame of Strength. That light you saw was the Light of Life. It determines what flame you receive." Nimrod explained.

"But I don't feel any different?" Philippa half asked half stated.

"That is because your Neshamah, you inner fire, hasn't changed yet. You weren't there long enough to obtain your flame. The room you were in is an attempt to make the surroundings resemble the ones at our holy island as much as possible. If you had dived at Mesci Island, you would already have your new flame. Besides you are only kids. You shouldn't be able to dive yet." Nimrod replied.

"So what you are saying is that we just dove to get a feel of it?" Philippa summarized, earning a nod from Nimrod.

"Why did it feel so real?" John muttered silently. Nimrod's good hearing caught his nephew's question.

"The place you went to was you inner maze. It is the world inside your mind; a product of your imagination actually." He answered.

"Then what about you, Faustina? How did you guide us through it? I mean, if the world exists inside our heads, no one from outside should be able to tell how it looks, right?" Philippa asked The Blue Djinn of Babylon, who took a deep breath before looking expectantly at Nimrod. Nimrod cleared his throat and hesitantly opened his mouth.

"The thing is… Faustina was guiding you through your maze. She didn't know how it looked inside, but she made you see the things, she wanted you to see by telling you what to do and where to go. The reason she knew what to say, is because her grandfather was an expert in diving. He had studied it for so many years, but never attempted to dive. So when he dove, something went wrong and he… He didn't make it. His heart couldn't take it and failed him. Jenny then took over his research and made a lot of progress before becoming the doctor you know her as. That is also why you had to get checked up on." Nimrod finished.

"Oh…" Philippa looked over at her friend, who smiled sadly at her.

"And I knew from my mom's research how to keep you distracted and get you to the light." Faustina said.

"So, uh, what now?" John asked breaking the silence that had occurred.

"Now, we head to Mesci Island to dive. I will explain the rest tomorrow, so go get some rest." With that he sent them up to their rooms and went to find his butler. They had a lot to prepare for the upcoming events.

John was about to enter his room when he noticed a swish of blonde from the corner of his eye. He turned to look and saw her heading off towards the staircase and quickly followed her.

"Faustina," he called, "wait up." The Blue Djinn stopped and turned to face him. She looked so sad and exhausted, John felt a stinging in his chest. He quickly decided that he didn't like that feeling. He had caught up to her now and was standing right in front of her. He noticed how the difference in their heights made him want to tuck her under his chin, but refrained from doing so. She didn't say anything. She waited for him to speak and kept observing him.

"I... Um... A-are you okay?" He asked stuttering slightly.

"Of course." She replied, putting on her cynical mask.

"No you aren't." He promptly concluded. "Look, I'm not telling you to spill your heart out to me, but you have been acting weird ever since we dove." He pressured her.

"Acting weird huh?" She shrugged it off and turned to leave. John caught her wrist and turned her back so she was facing him.

"What's wrong?" He asked softly.

"What's wrong? You are asking me what is wrong? Do you realize how close you were to get lost in you head earlier? You don't, do you? But I do. I saw it with my own eyes. You stopped reacting to my voice John! What was I supposed to do if anything went wrong? You don't understand how risky it is to dive into your inner maze. Once you get lost, you are trapped forever and your body will wither and die!" She snapped. She looked like she was about to cry, but John knew, she never would display her feelings through tears, so she turned to leave once again.

This time John let his instincts get the better of him, and a second later he found himself hugging her close and securing her in his arms. He knew better than to say something and mess the situation up, but he wanted to let her know, he was there for her. Just like with his sister, he felt it impossible to form the right words, so he just gripped her a little tighter.

Faustina had turned so that she had her head against his chest and gripped the front of his shirt tightly. John noticed her shoulders shake and he realized that she was crying. A few moments passed and Faustina finally calmed down. She took a little step back and looked John straight in the eye.

"I'm not coming with you to Mesci Island. I can't leave my job as the Blue Djinn." She told him a little coldly. John nodded.

"I understand." He said.

"No, John. You don't. That's the problem. You don't see the dangers of diving. You just want to go on an adventure! Diving is not a game." She seethed. Never before had John seen Faustina show so many emotions.

"I know it isn't a game, Faustina, but you've got to trust us a little! If we don't do this, we have no chance against Iblis and we still don't know Dybbuks whereabouts. I want to find him. I want to end all this, I really do, I just can't help but get excited. I mean, it's awesome to be with Nimrod again." John explained.

"Stay here." She whispered, getting closer to him. She looked so vulnerable and fragile. John was starting to lose control. He wanted to kiss her so badly. His hands moved up and cupped her face.

"I can't." He answered and closed the distance between them. Their lips met in a tender kiss and they both closed their eyes. Her lips were so soft and warm! John loved the way they moved against his. Faustina threw her arms around his neck and John placed his hands on her waist again. They slowly broke their kiss and let go of each other.

"You should go to bed now. Its getting late." Faustina said and gestured for him to go back.

"Yeah." John said and turned to leave. At the last second he spun around and went back to where she stood. He leaned in and kissed her again. She kissed back tenderly and ran her fingers through his hair before pulling back.

"Goodnight." John whispered with a small smile as he turned to leave.

"Goodnight John." She replied.

* * *

**And voila, another chapter done. God, that was a long one! I have to admit that I originally hadn't planned the last scene, but the plotbunnies took over and I had to type it. All righty, thanks for reading and please drop a review with your opinions and your favourite animal. I have another chapter ready and I'll publish it around next week. Bye for now! (=w=)/**


	6. Falling apart

**A/N: Hey there! Just a short update I felt was necessary. It focuses on Philippa and what she's going through at the moment and a little flashback. Things will start heating up in the next few chapters, so stay tuned. I finally completed the plot, but I can't say for sure, how many chapters are left. I'd say at least 10-15 depending on the lenght. Enjoy!  
Warning: A lot of questions ahead! **

**Previously: The twins have dived for the first time to get a feel of it. Faustina was able to guide them through it due to the research her mother and grandfather did. Nimrod is determined to strenghten their inner fire. Next stop: Mesci Island!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Children of the Lamp.**

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_**Falling apart**_

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Philippa tossed and turned in her bed, unable to sleep. She was feeling so tired, but somehow she managed to stay awake. She sighed and ran a hand up to her face, rubbing her eyes tiredly. God, this was such a mess! She started feeling a lump form in her throat, but refused to give in and start crying. Instead, she got up from bed and walked over to the window. She looked outside and slowly got lost in her thoughts.

The young Djinn contemplated the recent events and sighed again. Looking up at the moon she remembered the adventures she had been on. A little smile crept up to her face as she compared herself to the Philippa a few years ago. Not only had she changed in her appearance, but her way of thinking had changed too. She and John didn't bicker as much anymore and she realized they slowly were growing up. A dark cloud glided in front of the full moon and Philippa dared to recall her memories of Dybbuk. She had locked them away deep inside her heart, and they seldom surfaced. Like you automatically shut out and forget things that have happened and brought you pain.

"Dybbuk…" His name left her lips as a whisper. She missed him. She missed him so much, she couldn't take it. Why didn't he listen to them? Why did he have to make those decisions? He had a choice, and it pained her deeply how he chose. Philippa felt her stomach tighten and her fists clench. Nothing good came from remembering the things that had happened, and nothing good came from worrying about the future either.

The future. What was going to happen from now on? They would go to Mesci Island, she and John would dive and then what? Nimrod had been so secretive the whole time, she had no idea what was going on anymore. She wanted more than anything, to find Dybbuk and persuade him to come back. She knew it would be hard, but she had to at least try. She felt sorry for everything that had happened to him, and she wished it didn't turn out this way, but he left them, and there was nothing she could do about it.

Once again, Philippa remembered their adventures with Nimrod and Groanin, but this time, she closed her eyes and let herself be engulfed in memories of Dybbuk. Their first meeting, the way they had become friends, their adventure together and all the small things about him. The way he spoke to her and looked her in the eyes, his way of talking, his laughter, his rare smiles everything she could remember about him. She opened her eyes again, and felt her heart sink.

She returned to gaze out the window and let her fingers trace the edge of the window sill. The cool surface felt smooth under her touch. Another question popped into her head, one that had been nagging her for a while now. Why them and why now of all times?

Nimrod left them for a year without ever returning a call or send mail, then he appeared out of nowhere and wanted them to come along and fight Iblis. Did he feel obliged to deal with the ifrit and expected the twins to feel the same way? Phil couldn't help but get a little angry. How had she and John become involved in this mess? They were going to dive, but why? What would they gain from it? Was it a way of keeping them safe by strengthening their Neshamah? Was it a way to defeat Iblis? Was he seeking revenge? Was there something else behind all of this? What in the world was happening?

There was so much going on inside her head right now. She was a mess to put it simply. Why couldn't she just let go of the façade and confine in John? She hated that she was so stubborn. John only meant well, but she just didn't have it in her to let her guard down. She was afraid of getting hurt. The redhead remembered the night before they left for Germany.

_Philippa woke up abruptly with someone knocking frantically on her door. She looked at the digital clock beside her bed. The green digits showed 4:38. _

"It can only be John at this hour_" Phil thought while yawning. She made her way to the door and opened it. Just as she had guessed, her brother was standing there looking rather puzzled. He shifted his weight from one foot to the other and fidgeted nervously. That was very un-John-ish._

"_Is something wrong, John?" Philippa asked concerned._

"_Um, you… You were having… A-a nightmare?" he half asked, half stated. He looked at her and saw how her eyes widened. Philippa could have sworn he knew. _

"_H-how did you…?" she never finished the sentence. _

"_Well, um, I kind-of-sorta felt you were scared and in pain. Are you okay?" John fidgeted some more. Scared was a huge understatement, she had been terrified! And "in pain" didn't quite describe what Philippa had felt. _

"_But-but how did you know?" Philippa stuttered again. _

"_I don't know. I could just feel it. Like when you call my name without saying it." John had no clue how the twins' minds had become intertwined. They were not psychic, but they could sense the others thoughts and say them word for word the way the other would have said it._

_Philippa gulped. _

"_I… um… dreamt about the time in Amazon… Again…" she shivered slightly at the memories. _

"_Oh, I see… Well, do you want to talk about it?" John asked, nervously scratching his head. Phil just shook her head. "Don't worry, I'm fine. It was just a dream. It's getting late, you should get some sleep. Goodnight John." Philippa said. _

"_Okay." John replied and started going back to his room. One thing he did know was that Philippa was far from fine. The tear tracks on her face were proof she was keeping up a façade. The only thing keeping John from making her talk was the fact that he knew, Phil would come to him once she was ready. _

_John went back to his room and fell asleep. Somewhere in the corner of his mind, he was still monitoring his sister. Philippa on the other hand couldn't sleep. She sat on her bed and stared blankly ahead while the thoughts in her head were wrestling. She wanted to tell John so badly about the nightmares she so often had, but she was afraid she would fall apart if she told him the truth._

_Ever since Dybbuk had crushed his good twin right before her eyes, something had broken inside her. Her insides had felt like shattered glass and somehow, she felt that the broken pieces would shatter even more and turn to dust, if she told someone. She had tried telling John once, but she couldn't form the words to voice her thoughts and feelings. Truth was that Philippa had been in love with their old friend for a while, but she couldn't seem to get over him and see him as an enemy. _

_Fresh tears escaped her eyes. Tears she thought had dried out long ago. _

Thinking back, how did John even know she was having a nightmare? Could it be that he knew more than he showed? She knew, they had this mental connection, but this was downright scary. Something was happening with them, and Philippa wanted to know what. Maybe Faustina could help her, and tell her more about the dangers of diving. The redhead returned to her bed and forced herself to sleep. Fatigue was the last thing she needed.

* * *

**That's all for now, folks! I'm thinking of letting John have a chapter for himself like this one, but I'm not sure yet. Anywho, I would love for you to drop a review with your opinion on the story so far. Critisism is also appreciated! All reviews are read and questions are answered without revealing too much. Bye for now (=w=)/**


	7. Confusion ahoy!

**A/N: Another short update! I felt that John and Phil hadn't interacted much lately, so I threw this in. Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Children of the** Lamp.  
_Previously: Philippa is feeling an inner turmoil and hopes for the best. The twins are currently headed to Mesci Island by boat._

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**Confusion ahoy!**

* * *

"See that there? That's Mesci island." Nimrod said eagerly and pointed. He was almost jumping over the railing on the boat from sheer excitement.

"Where?" Groanin asked.

"Right there. The huge island thingy." John pointed to the same spot as Nimrod.

"I still don't see anything, I said, I still don't see anything." Groanin stated, sounding annoyed.

"Oh, that's right. Wait a second." Nimrod stepped back from his spot by the metal railing and up to his butler. He placed his hand on Groanin's arm and closed his eyes for a moment, before opening them again. He then retrieved his hand and took a step back.

"Sir?" Groanin waited for Nimrod to explain.

"Take a look. " The elder Djinn gestured towards the island again. Groanin was about to complain about still not seeing anything, when his mouth shaped an 'o' in surprise.

"I just canalized some of my djinn power and left it at your skin. Mesci Island can only be accessed let alone seen, if your Neshamah has been awakened," Nimrod explained, "which is why you are able to see it now that I left a fraction of mine on you."

"Oh…" The butler seemed a little confused, but content with the explanation. Philippa on the other hand had a lot of questions she wanted to be answered. She was feeling less and less excited about reaching the island. Something in the corner of her mind kept bugging her, but she couldn't grasp what it was. Surely, it had something to do with the island, but figuring it out wasn't easy. Preoccupied with her thoughts, she hadn't noticed her brother's eyes on her. She had been awfully quiet the whole way, and it worried John greatly.

"Phil." He approached her carefully.

"Hmm?" She was tapping her fingers on the railing in a steady rhythm, gazing at their destination.

"What's on your mind?" He took a place beside her and watched her intently. She didn't answer him. She kept quiet for so long, John started wondering if she had even heard him. Just as he was about to repeat his question, she opened her mouth with a weary sigh.

"I… don't know… It's just that… I'm not sure what to expect when we reach the island." She muttered quietly, tugging her stray hair behind her ear. Her eyes flicked between John and the silhouette if the island in the distance.

"What do you mean?" John arched a brow. Philippa's thoughts were a lot more complicated than John's own, so he wasn't entirely sure what she was indicating.

"Why are we doing this? _Who_ are we doing this for?" She asked and finally faced him.

"That's-" John started, but was cut off by his sister.

"No, John. You don't need to defend anything. You are just as confused as I am, you just don't want to show it." Phil deadpanned.

"What the hell?" John muttered under his breath. Philippa sighed and gripped the railing a little harder.

"I just have a bad feeling about this place. Nimrod is keeping something from us." She continued. "Have you noticed that he keeps on checking the map? And he's more distant than usual."

"Well… yeah." John admitted. "Maybe he's stressed?"

"I doubt it." The redhead responded bluntly.

"Why?" John eyed their uncle and his butler as they pointed at the map and to the island. Now that he thought about it, Groanin had been acting weird as well. The butler wasn't as cheerful as before and seemed to be quite nervous.

"Look, you probably won't believe me, but I have a feeling Nimrod has something up his sleeve, and it involves us." She inched closer and lowered her voice. "He hasn't actually told us _why_ we have to awaken our inner power, right?" John shook his head, "And we still don't know what kind of bindings he has been studying for the past year. I don't know John, maybe I'm over-analyzing things, but there is something Nimrod isn't telling us." She deducted with a shrug.

"I don't know about that, Phil. I mean, there's got to be a reason he's keeping his mouth shut, right? Either, it would endanger us or we could mess everything up if we knew too much." John stated and ran a hand through his already messy hair.

"Maybe you are right." Philippa gave in. "But we've got to find out, what it is."

"Speaking of finding out things… How did you get that replica of Emi's letter anyway?" John asked and looked at his sister suspiciously.

"Oh… um… That…" Philippa's face flushed. She bit her lower lip and started fidgeting.

"No use denying it. I can tell when you are lying." John crossed his arms and waited patiently for an anwer. "Well?" Philippa mentally cursed. There was no way she could lie about it, so she might as well come clean. With a deep breath to calm her nerves, she faced John.

"Remember that box Groanin brought before we went to see Jenny?" She asked with defeat on her face.

"Yeah… Wait a second… You mean…?" She nodded and John dropped his haw. It took a moment for it to fully sink in.

"Phil!" He cried accusingly.

"I couldn't help it! I hate not knowing what's going on!" She defended and threw her hands in the air. "Besides, you would have done the same thing." She added grumbling.

"Yeah, but still!" John spat.

"It's not like I took anything! I just copied it." She muttered, looking away in embarrassment.

"…How?" John asked almost inaudibly.

"What?" Philippa asked, looking back at her brother.

"How did you copy it?" John said a little louder.

"Oh… I had my chance when Nimrod left the box to buy us juice before we headed to Faustina's. I just touched the scroll and made an exact copy of it, but I wasn't sure it was going to work." She explained. John stared at her for a second and proceeded to shake his head in disbelief while muttering something that sounded like 'crazy woman'.

"Did you… see what else was in the box?" He asked curiously. Philippa shook her head no. It had been impossible to make out anything beside the scroll, which had been lying conveniently on top. Philippa was brought out of her thoughts by John, who nudged her side. She looked up in time to see Nimrod waving them over before returning his attention to the island. The twins walked over to their uncle and stopped beside him. They followed his gaze and took in the magnificent sight in front of them.

"Awesome." John whistled lowly.

The island had been shrouded in mist before and it had been hard to make out anything except the top of a mountain, but now everything was visible. The island was a little rocky and jungle-y at the same time. There were enormous trees everywhere, making up most of the island. Birds were gliding lazily through the air and everything looked so green and peaceful.

"Holy Land of Djinn; Mesci Island." Nimrod whispered in awe.

* * *

**Woohoo! They made it! Didn't expect Philippa to sneak a peek inside the box, did you? Next chapter will be longer and reveal the secrets of diving and the plot will take unexpected turns (maybe!). Questions are gladly answered! Leave them in a review or PM me. Bye for now!**


	8. Overcoming their weakness

**A/N: God this took forever to write, but I'm finally done! Thank you all for the reviews, favs and follows so far, they really inspire me to keep writing! :') Some of you might have noticed that none of the djinn have used their powers yet, and I was actually waiting for this chapter before getting to it. Now that they receive new flames, they power up a lot, but more about that next time. It might get a little intense at various places, but please bear with it. And special thanks to Lucinda M. H. Cheshir for helping me out! Enjoy!**

**"Talk"**

**'Thoghts'**

**Phil's inner world**

**John's inner world**

**Disclaimer: Is there a djinn willing to grant me 3 wishes? Pretty please? I don't own Children of the Lamp.**

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The only thing John could see ahead of him was trees. They were everywhere, in every shape and color you could imagine. The air in the jungle was so humid, John longed for a river or lake he could jump into. It was hot and bugs were buzzing around, annoying him even further. There was a variety of animals hiding behind the trees, peeking curiously at the travelers, but none of them neared them.

"So… um… where are we going?" He asked, whipping past a low-hanging branch.

"We are looking for a waterfall." Nimrod replied absentminded.

"A waterfall?" Philippa asked.

"Yes." He nodded. The group continued to walk in silence. A few minutes passed before he spoke again.

"The waterfall is the best location for diving, we know of. And when we reach it, you might feel a little dizzy." Nimrod told them.

"Why is that?" John inquired curiously.

"The waterfall is surrounded by a special kind of lilies. They have no color and at the same time, every color you can imagine. Like that room Faustina took you to. The lilies give off a certain fragrance, which makes the person smelling it a little dizzy. It actually cleanses your spirit." The older djinn explained thoughtfully. "I hope you remember how it felt when you dove, because Faustina isn't here and I'm not sure if I will be able to guide you, like she did." He added.

"You sure seem to know a lot about this." Philippa hinted a little sarcastically.

"Well, I did study about it back in Italy." Nimrod replied a little hurt. Philippa didn't say anything and neither did John. He knew better than to rebuke his sister when she was in that mood. The group continued their journey in silence, only broken by the occasional cries of nearby animals. John had been lost in his own thoughts for a while, when he noticed Philippa seeking his attention by making small movements with her hands.

"John." She whispered.

"What?" He whispered back.

"I've got to tell you something." The twins slowed down just enough for Nimrod and Groanin to take the lead and once the adults were a couple of feet in front of them, Philippa gestured for John to come closer.

"It's about when we dive." She started explaining. "Remember how Faustina freaked out?" John nodded, not liking where the conversation was headed, "Well, I asked her about it before we left and she told me this…" She lowered her voice even further and told John exactly what Faustina had told her.

"You've got to be kidding me!" He gaped.

"Shhh! Nimrod might hear us! Speaking of which, have you noticed how he keeps us in the dark? I mean, he didn't even tell us _this_, but he seems to be pretty excited about reaching the waterfall." The redhead tapped a finger at her chin.

"I know. But is there a way to counter it?" Her brother asked with a worried look, referring to what she had told him seconds ago.

"I'm working on that one. I mean, there's got to be a way, we just have to find it." She replied thoughtfully.

"Did… Faustina tell you anything?" John asked, hoping the Blue Djinn had thought of something.

"No…" Philippa shook her head, "she only told me that we would have to find out ourselves. Oh God, this is frustrating!" She sighed desperately.

"Kids, we're here!" Nimrod called. Groanin plodded along carrying the box, while the twins took in the sight of the magnificent waterfall.

"It's beautiful." The red-head whispered in awe as they inched closer, forgetting about coming up with tactics.

* * *

"You want us to what?!" The twins yelled in unison.

"You heard right." Nimrod grinned. All of a sudden his expression changed into something serious. "You have to trust me on this one."

"But won't sitting under the waterfall weaken our Neshamah?" Philippa asked worriedly.

"That's the point of it. Let's see how much stronger you are when you return." Nimrod explained with a smile. "If we see any signs of something going wrong, we'll stop you immediately." He assured them. Groanin, who had been incredibly silent for a long time, just nodded.

'_Sure you will.' _Philippa thought darkly.

"I thought it only happened in movies…" John shuddered as he started taking off his jacket. Philippa shook her head, clearly questioning the sanity of her uncle, but quickly changed her expression after sharing a mischievous look with her brother. With a little bit of wishful thinking and two quickly whispered focus words, they both appeared in a gi. For added effect they bowed for each other and walked straight into the cold water without hesitating or even flinching.

Once they reached the actual waterfall, they turned around and sat down without a word. There was a podium-like stone sticking up over the water surface. The twins closed their eyes and started breathing slowly, getting used to the constant pressure of the freezing water. Nimrod made a megaphone with his powers and started instructing them, but the roaring of the falling water made it hard to understand him. Not that it mattered, though. The two young djinn knew exactly what to do.

They felt the water slowly enclosing them and their mental connection weakened a little. Nimrod and Groanin were merely presences at the back of their minds. The only thing they noticed was how they slowly became lightheaded and started sinking into their inner world.

* * *

**John was back in the clearing with the memory-chests, but this time, there were no bugs around. Everything was quiet, not even the wind was blowing. He noticed that the wooden chests were missing except for one located on the flat stone. It couldn't be the same one as before, but he decided to open it anyway. **

**What he saw amazed him. He saw all the instances where he had felt he had let Philippa down. Sadly, they seemed to have increased lately. He remembered the last time he dove. He had found a similar memory of him and Phil in the chest on the same stone. That time, he had seen moments when he had wanted to say something to Phil or Faustina, but had kept quiet. This time, though, he saw the same episodes from their perspective and had felt the disappointment, they had felt. He knew he should have said something – at various occasions – but the thought of hurting the other had stopped him every time. After having regretted all the times he didn't speak up, John closed the chest and headed for the bigger clearing located east of there. **

**If there was one thing John noticed, it was that everything seemed much clearer than before. The air felt cleaner and despite the eerie silence, he noticed the smallest sounds of nature like a mouse whistling through the forest. The forest itself, felt as though it was holding its breath, as if it awaited something anxiously. John could nearly taste the anxiety in the air, probably due to his sharpened senses. **

'_**Why is everything so quiet?**_' **He wondered as he walked into the big clearing. **

**He headed straight for the white pedestal with the Light of Life. The only difference from before was that the light was already glowing in blue, green and purple shades. Excitement started filling John. He was going to get a new flame attribute! Just as the light was starting to go white, it stopped shining and faded out with a glimmer of blue and purple.**

"**Look who's here." A voice sounded from behind John. A voice so familiar it could have been his own. John slowly turned and found himself standing face to face with himself with red eyes and a wicked grin. **

"**It's you." John replied calmly. **

"**You finally made it, huh?" The doppelganger called out. "Took you long enough." He added with a smug grin. John shrugged, not being affected the least. **

"**I'm finally meeting you in person, and I must say you disappoint me, Johnny." The red-eyed John said. He started pacing around a few feet away, cracking his knuckles casually.**

"**I had hoped my alter-ego would be cool." John said sarcastically. **

"**Oh, your words are like a bullet to the heart." The imposter placed his hands on his heart dramatically. John on the other clenched his fists, slowly getting into a fighting stance. **

"**Whoa. Slow down, tough guy. I'm just talking." Fake-John feigned worry. John didn't say anything nor did he move an inch. **

"**See, I just wanna talk. Something you suck at." His alter-ego taunted. **

"**What do you know." John scoffed.**

"**Oh, I do know. I know all about you and your insecurities and how you disappoint everyone around you. I'm your sub-consciousness, Johnny. I know all of your dirty little secrets, like how you are afraid of going near blondie or asking your sister how she is doing." He howled with laughter. John, still keeping his cool, didn't say anything. **

"**Refraining from talking, are we? That's just like you." In a split-second he was in front John, aiming a punch at his jaw. His fist connected and John staggered back a few steps. **

"**You are weak, John," Fake-John's eyes glowed with anger, "You are weak, and you make me want to puke." He closed in on John getting ready to hit again, but this time John was prepared. He predicted his opponent's movement and swayed out of the way, countering with a solid punch of his own, hitting him in the ribcage. This seemed to surprise his alter-ego as he was left stunned for a few seconds. **

"**Not bad." He commented after regaining his composure. He poked himself in the side to test the damage, but quickly shrugged it off, deeming it insignificant. **

"**I thought you knew me?" John asked sarcastically. A trait he had picked up from his sister. Fake-John didn't answer, but looked annoyed to hell. John had hit the mark with the last comment and was now getting ready to go on the offensive. He waited for a moment, analyzing his opponent's defense, looking for gaps in it and wasted no time pulling his punches. The year Nimrod had spent in Italy was the year the twins had started learning martial arts, and now all their hard work paid off. **

**John rushed forward, ready to apply a barrage of hits and took his alter-ego by surprise. He landed a few good punches, before he had to dodge a nasty hit from Fake-John. He didn't make it and hissed in pain when he was hit on the shoulder. Hard. His doppelganger used this to his advantage and swept John's legs away with a low kick. The dark haired djinn fell to the ground and used the force from the fall to roll on the ground and get back up on his feet. He had been lucky with the direction of his dodge-roll and had ended up behind the imposter. John grabbed him around the waist and threw him backwards in a motion that would surely had broken his neck, but Fake-John had caught on to what was happening and placed his hands down first, becoming able to somersault away. **

"**Sneaky, aren't we?" He taunted. John, wo had gotten back up on his feet, lowered his fists and straightened his back. **

"**Is this really who I am?" He asked in a stern voice. **

"**Yuuuup. This is what you look like beneath the surface. And you know it, John. You know that this is the real you. Not the insecure little weakling who doesn't have any guts, but this," He pointed to his chest, "this is you. The real you. And all you have to do is accept it." In a flash, he appeared behind John and whispered in his ear. **

"**All you have to do is to let go. Give in to your desires. I can give you the power you seek, the power to protect Philippa and Faustina. " He continued. John felt himself sink. Power was the thing he needed. The power to protect those close to him, and all he had to do was to let go. He turned and faced Fake-John, who stood with his hand stretched out in front of him. Slowly, John reached for his hand, but right before they made contact, Philippa's face flashed before him followed by Faustina's. They both wore a pained expression and in that instant John jerked his hand away. This seemed to anger Fake-John as he let out an enraged growl and threw a barrage of punches. **

"**SEE?!" He screamed. With each punch that hit, he spoke another word. "This. Is. What. I. Meant." He paused briefly and gathered his strength. "It was right in front of you, and you chickened out. You are pathetic." He spat, venom dripping from his voice. He pulled his arm backwards and with a powerful hit to John's gut he sent the black-haired djinn crashing to the ground. John got up without a word and wiped the corner of his mouth, where a little blood was flowing, with his sleeve. **

"**I know." He said calmly as his alter-ego got ready to attack again. John, who was tired of being a sandbag, calculated his movements and waited for an opening before striking with all his might. Fake-John was sent flying and got up after snapping out of his daze caused by John's punch. **

"**What?" Fake-John rasped as he steadied himself. **

"**I know I'm weak. I'm not as smart as Phil, or as strong as Nimrod. I never know what to say and I always let others down. I haven't been able to help Phil or Faustina in any way, but I know that they'll make it. I believe in them. They will come to me, when they need me and that's good enough for me." John stood with his head held high. He knew all of his flaws, but that wasn't enough to stop him. He was determined to overcome his weakness on his own. **

"**You… Trust them?" Fake-John seemed confused and his eyes became glassy. **

"**I have faith in them." John nodded. **

"**Faith…" Fake-John repeated. He seemed to have calmed down completely and was now standing in front of John. He seemed like a completely different person than the fighting maniac he had been moments ago. **

"**Seems like a nice thing to have." He told John with a little smile. **

"**You should have some in me." John tried. **

"**Maybe I should…" Fake-John smirked. "You know, not everyone is able to face their alter-ego and win." His feet started fading out and he slowly shook his head. "I can't believe I've gone soft. You're all right John. Keep having faith, and place some in yourself as well. Now go, you still have a lot to do." He pointed towards the pedestal with the Light of Life and John glanced at it. **

"**Will we meet again?" John asked with a hint of sadness in his voice. **

"**Who knows?" Was the reply John received by the whispering of the wind. His alter-ego had vanished and now John felt the Light of Life pulling him closer. He turned around and headed for the pedestal. The light was glowing white again and started shifting between blue, green and purple. What John didn't know, was that Fake-John only vanished from sight. He stood a little away concealed with some of his power and observed John. **

'_**I'd never thought you'd be this strong, John, but this strength of yours might not be enough for what lays ahead. I hope you'll find out the truth I couldn't tell you.' **_**He thought, admiring John a little. By now, John was standing directly in front of the pedestal and reached out to the light. The second his fingers touched the sphere, it exploded in a blast of color and engulfed him with warmth. **

'_**John Gaunt, djinn of the Marid tribe. You've come a long way and proved yourself worthy of receiving a new and stronger flame. You have acknowledged yourself and the fact that you aren't perfect. You know your weaknesses very well and you are honest about your thoughts and feelings. You always make your way around any obstacle you face. You are strong and brave, but most of all, you are loyal to those dear to you. You have inherited the Blue Flame of Truth. Use this power wisely and protect those you love, but most important of all. Never lose hope.' A voice echoed in John's mind before everything disappeared in a blur of white.**_

* * *

The first thing John noticed when he opened his eyes, was how warm and fuzzy he felt, despite sitting under a waterfall with freezing cold water. He looked to his left only to find his sister with eyes closed in deep concentration. She seemed a little pale and her drenched hair stuck to her face. She was breathing heavily and John could see that a fierce battle was being fought inside her. The dark-haired teen looked for his uncle and his butler and found them waving eagerly from the shore. John nodded and gave them a thumbs-up before returning his attention to his sister.

'_Stay strong Phil. You can do it.' _He sent her his encouragement mentally, but by the look on her face, he doubted that she would respond, let alone hear him.

* * *

_The first time Philippa had dived, she certainly hadn't noticed the details of the flower meadow. Like how there was any kind of flower she had ever seen and how wonderful each of them smelled. She hadn't noticed the hectic life of ants and other bugs, who lived between the flowers, but right now, she felt as if she had become one with nature. The red-headed djinn could feel the life pulsating from every animal close to her, she could hear the whispering wind and the sounds from animals, she could smell each fragrance around her and she could clearly see every little detail in nature. She felt great, she really did. For a moment, she just stood there breathing, but then she remembered what she had come to achieve. _

_So there she was, making her way to the weird-looking pedestal with the Light of Life. The sphere was currently glowing white and no matter how long Philippa stared at it, nothing happened. _

"_Weird." She remarked. _

"_It is, isn't it?" A voice sounded from beside her. Philippa, being the smart girl she was, had already figured out who the voice belonged to. _

"_You are here." The redhead stated. She turned to face a copy of herself with red eyes and a sad smile. _

"_Were you expecting me?" Her doppelganger asked._

"_I knew we'd meet sooner or later." Philippa answered. "So, you are my alter-ego, correct?" She continued. The girl to her side nodded, but seemed slightly confused. _

"_Faustina told me." Philippa explained._

"_I see." Was the brief answer from the red eyed girl. A few seconds passed in silence as the two girls just stood there and looked at each other. Philippa was the first to break the silence and speak up. _

"_Can we… talk?" She asked carefully, scanning the girl before her. _

"_Um, talk?" The red-eyed Philippa asked. _

"_Yes. I, uh, would like to get to know you, err, me. This is confusing." The redhead sighed and rubbed her arms tiredly. _

"_Why not?" Her alter-ego replied and sat down in the grass. Philippa followed suit and studied her doppelganger curiously. _

"_So um, this is my inner world, right?" Philippa inquired. Her doppelganger nodded. "Am I able to control something like time and space in here?" she continued, "I mean, would I be able to freeze time around us?" _

"_Give it a try." The other Philippa tilted her head sideways and watched silently. _

"_Fabulongoshoomarvelishlywonderpipical." Philippa whispered and tried stopping the flow of time. At first it seemed like nothing had changed, but then Philippa noticed that everything slowly stopped moving and gradually turned grey – everything except for the two girls and the the Light of Life. Philippa turned her attention back to the girl in front of her, clearly satisfied with the outcome. _

"_You know, you are different from what I had imagined." She started. At that, the red eyed girl raised a brow. _

"_Oh? Well, what did you have in mind?" She asked and hugged her knees to her chest. _

"_I don't know. Wild and out-going perhaps? Or a real tomboy." She chuckled. The other Philippa laughed a little as well, but it had a knowing feel to it, like she knew something Philippa didn't. _

"_Really?" She asked before Philippa nodded. _

"_Say, what do I call you?" The redhead stretched her legs. She noticed that girl looked questioningly at her. "I mean, it feels wrong to call you "You" or Philippa. We may look alike, but you have your own personality,and I think you deserve your own name. So what do you want to be called?" She played with some grass absentminded, while the other girl looked at her in surprise. _

"_I-I don't know. I never thought of a possibility like this. I've always seen myself as your subconscious and nothing more." She answered a little embarrassed. _

"_What about Scarlet, then?" Philippa suggested. The other girl repeated the name like contemplating whether she liked the feel of it on her tongue or not. It was painfully obvious where Philippa had gotten the idea, but nonetheless, her alter-ego seemed to like it. _

"_Scarlet is fine." She agreed. _

"_Are you alone here Scarlet?" The young djinn asked. Scarlet shook her head no and pulled up some grass by her side. _

"_Well, not entirely. I have all the animals that live here and I catch glimpses of 'the outside world' from time to time." She answered with a weak smile and a shrug. Philippa nodded and licked her lips. _

"_Do you ever feel lonely?" She asked on. _

"_Not as lonely as you get." The other girl responded._

"_What do you mean?" Philippa asked, half-knowing the answer to her question. She had gotten up from the grass and so had Scarlet. _

"_I mean that you can surround yourself with people, who care for you, and still feel alone." Scarlet's eyes seemed as though they started glowing, but Philippa couldn't say for sure. The only thing she cared about at that moment was, how close Scarlet was to hitting the nail on the head, and she didn't like it one bit. _

"_Take your brother for instance, all he wants to do is to help you, and you do nothing but push him away all the time. You are too preoccupied with Dybbuk that you can't see how much distance you've created between you two." Each of Scarlet's word stung, and deep down Philippa knew she was right, but she couldn't bring herself to admit it. It was easier to ignore the truth, than to accept it and it hurt less. _

"_You know it's true. I can see it in your eyes, they reveal too much. I can see all of it. All of the pain, anger and guilt." The red-eyed girl showed no mercy and kept pummeling through Philippa's feeling. It was true, all of it was and Philippa hated it. She hated it so much. All of this could have been avoided if she had stopped Dybbuk back in Amazon. Then she wouldn't have distanced herself from her brother. She had been too weak and now she had to face the consequences._

"_That's right. It's your fault. Do you remember how easily your precious Dybbuk left with Iblis? How easily he betrayed you and John? It hurt, didn't it? And it hurt even more when he appeared in Amazon with Zadie. After all, what did she possess that you didn't? What made her worthy of being with Dybbuk when he left you." Everything Scarlet said was true, and the old wounds Philippa thought had healed by now, opened up again causing more pain than ever. One thing was, when you were aware of something yourself, but having someone else spell it out for you hurt. _

"_Stop…" Philippa begged with tears flowing uncontrollably from her eyes. Scarlet seemed to ignore it completely and kept on rubbing salt in her wounds. Philipp fell powerlessly to her knees. _

"_And what does he think of you now that he's freed Iblis? Do you even mean something to him? Did_ _you _ever_ mean something to him?" she paused briefly as she watched Philippa sob helplessly," Not that it matters, though. He already left you and soon, John will leave you too. After all, he has Faustina. _She _doesn't push him away. Everyone will eventually leave and do you know why?" Scarlet had now crouched down in front of Philippa who was shaking._

"_Because you are weak." She whispered in her ear. _

"_I… am weak?" Philippa asked blankly. _

"_Yes. You are weak. You weren't strong enough to stop Dybbuk nor will you be able to stop John from leaving you. You will be left all alone with no one to care about you." Scarlet's words had a sharp edge to them and as they started sinking in, something snapped inside of Philippa. She started becoming angry and her blood started boiling. She would be left all alone? Not if she could help it. _

"_You will never be as strong as Faustina or as beautiful as your mother. You are no match for them. You don't even stand a chance against Zadie. You have nothing. You _are_ nothing." The red eyed girl spat. _

"_Enough!" Philippa screamed with fury. Scarlet found herself struck with lightning and nailed to the spot. She didn't know why, but she had a feeling Philippa had somehow restricted her movements and it was true. Without even having to say her extremely long focus word, Philippa had bound Scarlet with mental chains. As she did so, the Light of Life flared up briefly, but went unnoticed by the enraged djinn. _

"_I've taken enough of your bullshit already. Yes, I've failed Dybbuk and I've been too selfish to let John in, so what? You don't know John like I do. He'll never leave me. And you know what? It doesn't matter if I'm weak. I will become stronger and then I'll bring Dybbuk back. I will keep trying till I succeed even if it means going to Hell and back. And John? He's got my back. He'll follow me wherever I go just as I'll follow him to the end of the world." Just as she finished speaking, she felt as though John called out to her. Some of Philippa's anger subsided and she spoke in a more calm voice. _

"_I haven't come this far to drown in self-pity. I can't waste time feeling sorry for myself. I'm going to stop Iblis and I'll save Dybbuk no matter what." With that she cast a last glance at her alter-ego and said her focus-word. Scarlet screamed in pain when she was forcefully sent away to the outskirts of Philippa's inner world. It wasn't in her power to destroy or banish her, so sending her away would have to do. _

_Once she was alone, Philippa took a few deep breaths and dried her eyes off. She steeled her resolve and turned her attention to the pedestal with the glowing sphere. She reached out and touched it when it started shifting back and forth between the three colors her new flame could have. She hadn't noticed how warm the light had felt before she was showered with a pure, white glow. _

'_Philippa Gaunt, djinn of the Marid tribe. You've fought long and hard to get to where you are, and you've proved yourself worthy of receiving a new and stronger flame. You, who always put others before yourself and always thinks twice before making a decision, have shown that being powerless doesn't matter as long as you have the resolve to never give up. You are easily influenced by others and sometimes you let your emotions control you, but you always pull through. Your bonds with others are the most important things to you, and you treasure them deeply. You have inherited the Green Flame of Wisdom. Let knowledge and these feelings guide you to victory, protects those dear to you and most important of all, never let you lose hope.' The voice came from everywhere and engulfed Philippa before everything went white._

* * *

Philippa had known the water would be cold, but never in her wildest dreams had she imagined it to be _this _cold. She was freezing and her muscles were sore from not having moved in a while. Her hair and clothes clung to her, but she felt warm on the inside.

"We did it Phil." John's voice sounded from somewhere beside her. She turned her head and realized that she was feeling dizzy and groggy. John was smiling from ear to ear and looked like a child on Christmas Eve.

The redhead couldn't help but give him a wide smile. She felt so relaxed and at peace, like she didn't have a care in the world. The twins got up and headed for the shore where Nimrod and Groanin were. They hadn't taken two steps before they both felt a dizzy spell attack them and sat back down again. In the blink of an eye, the two adults were over them pulling them to their feet and carrying them back to the shore.

"I'm proud of you, I said, I'm proud of you!" Groanin congratulated both of them energetically.

"Indeed. It was no easy task, and you both did well." Nimrod agreed and patted their heads. The twins only managed to smile weakly because of the exhaustion they felt.

"Now, let's get you warmed up. Groanin, please get dinner ready," he instructed, "Qwertyuiop." In a second, the twins found them inside a camping tent, covered with layers and layers of blankets, and their uncle in front of them. He rummaged through his waist pocket and withdrew two small bottles containing a yellow liquid.

"Drink this." Their uncle handed them one bottle each. The twins downed the content of the bottles in an instance and fell back into their mount of blankets. Heat started spreading in the pits of their stomachs and they relaxed considerably.

"Levitators?" Philippa rasped.

"Yes and at the same time, no. Remember how I told you, Jenny went into research?" The twins nodded, "Well, she found out that every time djinn dive, their bodies turn completely cold. And as you know, djinn are very sensitive to cold, so she experimented with levitators, modified them and came up with these," he pointed to the small bottles, "they are called Mod-Levitators. They warm up your bodies faster than normal ones and their effect lasts longer."

"Cool." John whistled. He was already feeling much better and had removed some of the blankets around him. Nimrod told them to stay inside until they felt better and then come out and get something to eat. As he stood in the opening of the tent, he turned to his nephew and niece.

"I'm proud of you, kids." He told them with a smile.

"Thanks." They both replied. Nimrod chuckled and left. A few seconds passed and silence fell over the twins.

"How are you feeling?" John asked his sister.

"Good. How did you do?" Philippa brushed her bangs away from her eyes and waited for John's answer.

"It was awesome. I met him, and I won." He flashed a grin, "Got the Blue Flame of Truth."

"I got the Green Flame of Wisdom." Philippa high-fived her brother.

"It suits you, don't you think?" John laughed.

"Really?" The redhead raised her brows.

"Yeah," he nodded, "I mean, wouldn't the flame we receive suit us no matter what?"

"That would make sense." Philippa agreed, "Let's go out. Nimrod has a lot of explaining to do." The young djinn rose to their feet and went out the tent. Right in front of them, Groanin was making dinner while Nimrod sat on a log, scribbling at some paper.

"What's for dinner? I'm starving." John stated as he took a seat on another log.

"Seafood stew with potatoes and carrots," Groanin filled a bowl and handed it to John, "here you go, my boy." The dark-haired djinn dug right in and stuffed his face. When it came to food, John wasn't picky anymore. Philippa was handed a bowl as well and the group ate in silence for a few minutes until Nimrod spoke.

"So, how did it go?" He asked with interest. He was very excited to hear about the twins' experience.

"Oh, you mean how the encounter with our alter-egos went?" Philippa asked sharply.

"About that-" Nimrod was cut off by his nephew.

"Did you even plan on telling us?" John inquired. He loved his uncle, but he was a little irritated.

"I couldn't." Nimrod defended. From the scowl on her face, Nimrod guessed Philippa wasn't satisfied with his answer.

"If I had told you, you'd both have sought out your alter-ego instead of going to the Light of Life. Not only would that put you in grave danger, but there would also be the possibility you would get stuck in your inner world. That's the reason so many djinn have died diving, and the reason Faustina was against all of this." He explained with a weary sigh.

"So if we hadn't managed to defeat them, we wouldn't have made it out of there?" Philippa said, while mentally thanking the Blue Djinn for having told her.

"Probably not, but I take it everything went well?" He asked the twins. John snapped his fingers on one hand and a beautiful, blue flame appeared while he continued eating. Philippa held out her hand where tiny, green flames danced on her palm. Nimrod and Groanin gaped, but quickly regained their composure.

"All right. Now that you have your new flames, we can talk about what to do next. Groanin if you'd get the box please," Nimrod waited till his butler handed him the box and took out two round and smooth-looking stones Phil identified to be Salamander Stones, "hold on to these, kids. They'll do you good. As you might have noticed, these are special and give off incredible warmth that can come in handy during combat." They twins nodded in agreement, waiting for their uncle to continue, their dispute moments ago was forgotten completely.

"Do we have any lead on Iblis' plans?" Philippa asked.

"We still haven't figured out what he is after, but we've gotten word that various museums have been broken into without having anything stolen." Nimrod sighed.

"Not again." John groaned. He was sick of artifacts being stolen for the use of evil.

"Anyways, I think we are close to finding out. There is just one problem. We fear that Iblis might be out for revenge." Their uncle looked worn out.

"You got that part right." A voice they knew all too well sounded from behind them. The twins shot up from their seats and whipped around, standing face-to-face with none other than Rudyard Teer, who was smirking smugly. Nimrod and Groanin had gotten up as well and were now standing beside the twins.

"You." John growled threatening. Philippa felt the presence of another person and turned around. Her eyes widened when she saw him standing casually with his hands in his pockets, looking like himself and at the same time not.

"Dybbuk." She spoke his name with an icy tone, not revealing any emotions.

"Long time no see." He replied calmly with a smile, sending shivers down her spine. This wasn't going to end well.

* * *

**Phew! I feel so horrible for making their alter-egos so hateful and angry :( My intention was to give John a personality filled with resentment and loath as for Philippa, I tried to make her sad and miserable, and it turned out like this. What do you think of the flames they got? Are they suitable? Anyhow, I hope it wasn't too much as I had planned an even longer chapter, but I think it was a good idea to cut it down. It would be a lie to say that I become a better person when you review, but I'll be very happy if you do! If you have any questions, you are free to PM me or leave them in a review. Thanks for reading! Until next time! (=w=)/**


	9. A small hunch

**A/N: Hey there! Sorry for the long wait, but I've been so busy! I was on a prolonged field trip to Italy with my class, I turned 18 and I passed the theoretical test for my driver's licence haha :D ANyways, this chapter is a bit confusing, but bear with me! Enjoy!  
**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Children of the Lamp.**

* * *

**A small hunch**

* * *

The anxiety slowly filled Philippa and she found it harder to breathe. She didn't show it, but maintained her perfectly calm façade when in truth all she wanted was to run over and hug Dybbuk. She glanced at her twin, who looked more than ready to rip Rudyard to shreds. Rudyard, on the other hand, seemed to enjoy the commotion his appearance had caused. Philippa looked back at Dybbuk and felt her chest tighten.

'_Calm down. He's not the Dybbuk you knew.' _She assured herself and tried to regain control over her breathing. She wouldn't admit it, but just seeing him, made her heart race.

"How about we get the party started?" The ifrit suggested and whispered his focus word. A split-second later, everyone threw themselves on the ground at the sound of a huge explosion. Rudyard howled with laughter and ran off into the jungle. John recovered first and immediately chased after him. Nimrod saw this and scrambled to his feet.

"Groanin, don't leave Philippa!" He yelled over his shoulder and followed his nephew. He had never seen John react so strongly and it worried him. The butler complied immediately and took the side of the red haired djinn.

"You look well Mr. Groanin." Dybbuk commented offhandedly. Said butler merely grunted in response. He didn't hold a grudge against the younger boy, but if he posed a threat towards Philippa, Groanin sure as hell wouldn't back down. Dybbuk seemed unaffected by the lack of response from the other party, and shifted his weight from one foot to the other.

"I feel like you want to ask me something?" He looked at Philippa with calm eyes.

"Why are you here, Dybbuk?" Philippa asked him without hesitation.

"Oh, you know, I figured I'd drop by and say hello." He shrugged and took out his hands from his pocket. He took a step closer and Groanin charged at him. Dybbuk sighed and stepped forward with a strong punch. So strong, it knocked out the butler. "Groanin!" Philippa gasped.

"Now we can talk peacefully." Dybbuk smiled.

"We don't have anything to talk about." She sneered.

"Suit yourself then." He turned towards the jungle, in the direction his half-brother had gone in, and noticed a flash of blue far away.

"So you dove, huh?" The dark-haired teen muttered to himself. Philippa eyed him suspiciously and took her fighting stance. She wanted to show him that she regarded him as an enemy and that their bond from before no longer existed.

"You've changed." He observed quietly.

"Oh, really now?" Philippa asked sarcastically, "as far as I'm concerned, _you_ are the one who's changed."

"Maybe so." He smiled again. His smile was getting on Philippa's nerves.

"What do you want, Dybbuk?" She tried again, "why did you come here?" Tears threatened to fall from her eyes and for a second, Philippa thought, she saw a glint of worry on his features, but she dismissed the thought immediately. There was no way, someone as cold-hearted as Dybbuk would give a damn about her.

"A second chance, you could say." He looked her straight in the eye and stepped closer.

"What do you mean?" Philippa raised a brow, still in her fighting stance.

"That's for you to find out." He said coolly and charged forward. He caught Philippa by surprise and aimed a low kick at her ankles. Luckily, she jumped out of the way and kicked him hard in the side. Dybbuk winced and turned around.

"Ow…" He said and rubbed his ribs gently. Philippa didn't move and waited for his next move. She felt incredibly calm and observed her opponent quietly. Dybbuk sighed and locked eyes with Philippa.

"I don't want to hurt you, Philippa." He told her calmly with honesty in his eyes. She felt a stab in her chest when he said her name. She had missed the way he called her name so much, but she had to stay strong, she couldn't reveal her emotions at such a crucial time.

"Too bad you are my enemy, then." She muttered. "Yeah." Dybbuk agreed and attacked again.

Philippa matched him in power, blow by blow, and silently thanked her mother for making her take up martial arts. She was nowhere near John's level, but she knew how to put up a fight. Dybbuk seemed impressed and whistled at one of her punches that would have broken his nose, had he not been fast enough to evade it.

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Groanin move a bit. He was running out of time and knew he had to end the fight. He looked into Philippa's eyes again. He had missed the fierce look in them.

He grabbed her arm when she tried to punch him, and was just about to knock her out, when she unleashed a flare of green. The flames danced around her and made it impossible to get close. He had to do something. Fast. With no other choice left, he breathed in and in a flash, he had stopped her flames, grabbed her arms with one hand and swung the other around her back, embracing her.

Philippa was stunned. She couldn't move out of his embrace, partly because her hands were bound, but also because her body froze. He breathed deeply taking in the scent of her and sighed. The difference in their heights gave Dybbuk an advantage in restricting her movements, and he used that to the fullest.

"I'm sorry, Phil." He whispered into her ear and pecked her cheek, before knocking her out. Philippa's body went limp in his arms, and he picked her up in his arms. He carried her over to the semi-conscious Groanin, and gently placed her next to him. His eyes lingered on her face for another second, before leaving them and heading towards the rendezvous. He was truly sorry, they had to part like that, but he had his orders.

The ifrit seemed to be a master at playing hide-and-seek, and it drove John nuts. Every time he felt close to catching up with Rudyard, the ifrit seemed to move smoothly out of the way. John growled and continued yelling his focus word and blowing up the ground around them. He quickly grew tired of chasing Rudyard, so he switched tactics and trapped him. John secretly sent a bit of his blue fire into the ground and spread it out to form a ring. Rudyard failed to notice John's ceased movement and ran straight into the heart of the ring. At once it flared up and rocketed to the sky, making the ifrit stop dead in his tracks. John appeared behind Rudyard and made a little hand motion to decrease the flames surrounding the ifrit.

"Why did you come here?" John demanded. Nimrod was nowhere in sight, but John had no trouble interrogating Rudyard by himself.

"Oh, you're so mean Johnny!" Rudyard taunted, reminding John way too much of his alter-ego. He shook his head and carried on.

"How did Dybbuk get you out of the jade-sarcophagus?" Rudyard started laughing at this.

"Sweet, little Dybbuk coming to our rescue. Let's just say, he got some help." The ifrit winked.

"From who?" John was getting more and more impatient.

"Doesn't matter. He's served his purpose, and so have I." Rudyard said his focus word just as Nimrod grabbed John's arm and hauled him backwards. "Nimrod!" John called out in surprise. The spot he had been occupying moments ago was now replaced by a nasty, sizzling crater.

"Light my lamp, the boy's acquired a powerful technique." Nimrod sounded impressed and exasperated at the same time. Rudyard had used John's distraction to get out of the flaming ring and let out a howl of delight as he started running deeper into the forest.

"You go left, I go right." Nimrod said and started running. John followed suit and resumed the chase of the ifrit. Rudyard had vanished completely, but John noticed a big hole in some of the bushes leading into an open space. He carefully approached it and silently entered the small clearing. He hadn't expected to find Rudyard nor had he anticipated an ambush, so when he felt Rudyard plant his feet on John's back, he crashed to the ground with wide eyes.

It took a few seconds to pull himself together and get to his feet. John dusted off his clothes and gave Rudyard a harsh glare.

"Easy there, tiger." The ifrit snickered. John snapped and charged head first into his enemy.

"ABECEDARIAN!" John yelled and suddenly his fist was coated with blue flames. He hit Rudyard's shoulder and sent the ifrit flying. He landed with a loud thump and hissed in pain.

"Damn you!" He cursed and got up. John didn't spare him a second and kicked him hard in the gut followed by a punh to the face. Rudyard growled and kneed John in the stomach, but that didn't seem to affect the younger djinn at all. He didn't utter a sound, but kicked away Rudyard's feet away and sat on top of him, rendering his arms useless. The ifrit was immobilized and could do nothing to defend himself against the barrage of punches, John threw at him. He was blinded with rage, and didn't notice Rudyard whispering something.

"Gah!" John was somehow flung away by some strong force and landed hard on his back.

"Don't get cocky." The ifrit spat and got up.

"Same goes for you." Rudyard whipped around and saw Nimrod standing behind him. "QWERTYUIOP." A steel cage appeared and trapped the ifrit, who clicked his tongue in annoyance. He didn't like being trapped and definitely not twice a day. Nimrod glanced at John, making sure he was okay and stepped closer to the cage, whose bars were made from a mixture of steel and copper.

"What is your goal?" Nimrod began.

"Not telling~" Rudyard sang, openly mocking Nimrod. Meanwhile, John had gotten to his feet and taken a few deep breaths before heading towards the cage himself.

"Very well, then." Nimrod snapped his fingers and Rudyard was zapped by a jolt of electricity. Not enough to kill him, but surely enough to make him hiss in pain. John stood next to Nimrod and observed the harsh interrogation.

'_Nimrod's got style,' _he thought, _'but torturing Rudyard? Hadn't seen that one coming…'_ John shuddered slightly, admiring and partially fearing his uncle. He seemed so different than the man in the red suit, who had visited him in his dream during the extraction of his wisdom teeth.

An idea came to John, and he turned it around a few times before deciding to try it out. He peeked at Nimrod and Rudyard, before whispering his focus word and turning his attention back to the captured ifrit.

"Damn it! I wouldn't have gone to Sienna, if I had known, I'd be electrocuted!" Rudyard groaned loudly. Either Nimrod had roasted his brains, or he was just plain stupid and thought out aloud.

"Sienna, huh? Did you happen to visit Florence as well?" Nimrod questioned. Judging from Rudyard's baffled expression, Nimrod had hit bull's-eye. The ifrit finally snapped out of it and used a colorful vocabulary of swearing. His swearing ceased abruptly and he turned his head south.

"I would love to stay and chat, but it's time for me to go. Buh-bye." He waved and snapped his fingers. The ground in front of John and Nimrod exploded and they were blown backwards. Once they got to their feet, the cage had been blown to bits and Rudyard was long gone.

"Damn it…" John muttered as he removed the specks of dust on his black t-shirt and kaki-shorts.

"He's gotten stronger, it seems." Nimrod began, "Anyhow, we should get back to Philippa and Groanin. Come on."

"Yeah…" John mumbled and followed his uncle.

When they reached their camp-site and saw both Philippa and Groanin lying unconscious, it wasn't very hard to imagine the outcome of the battle.

"Phil!" John rushed to his sister's side and tried shaking her awake. Her eyes fluttered and she groaned.

"Ouch…" Her eyes focused on John and she let out a rasping sound. "Groanin…"

"QWERTYUIOP." Nimrod swiftly made a clinic and two stretchers to carry his niece and butler inside.

Philippa woke and looked around, only to find herself in a hospital gown of some sort. She had no idea where she was, or why she was there. A sharp pain shot through her forehead and her vision blurred. She grabbed her head and tried taking deep breaths, and after a while, the pain disappeared. Now that she could think somewhat clearly, Philippa looked around her room. She was covered in bruises from her fight with Dybbuk, and she winced when she touched a sore spot. Secretly, she was a little happy, she could put up with him, but her chest tightened at the thought of him leaving again, and she sighed long and hard.

"How are you feeling?" Nimrod sat in a chair beside her bed. He had been so quiet, Philippa hadn't even noticed him. He looked exhausted and had probably been asleep before Phil came to.

"My head is spinning and my body hurts." She replied dryly.

"There are some pain-killers over there, make sure to take them." Her uncle sighed and pulled a handkerchief out of his pocket. Philippa reached over and swallowed two of the pills, gulping them down with the glass of water beside them.

"Where's John?" The younger djinn asked and stretched her legs.

"With Groanin. He seems to have a mild concussion, but it's nothing too serious." Nimrod replied absently.

"I see…" Philippa went quiet as she started gathering her thoughts. "Hey, Nimrod? How's Groanin able to be on the island? I mean, he is a mundane after all…" Her uncle looked a little surprised at her sudden interest, but answered anyway.

"Before we reached the island, I coated him in Neshamah. Kind of like a spacesuit. It's around him, but it doesn't hurt him in any way. It is merely a way of allowing him to set foot in this sacred place." The brown-haired djinn answered and smoothed out his crumpled tie. "I would love to know how those two came here." He muttered inaudibly.

"I take it you want to know, if I found out something from Dybbuk?" The redhead asked nonchalantly. Nimrod nodded and gestured for her to continue. Philippa fiddled with the corner of her blanket and bit her lower lip, before slowly answering.

"Well, he didn't really say anything about why he was here, but it felt as though he was waiting for something." She licked her dry lips and continued, "He was able to knock out Groanin like it was nothing." Philippa intentionally let out the rest of the interaction between them. She felt it was something only for her to know.

"I see. Rudyard too, was able to break free of one of my cages." Nimrod muttered. A thought suddenly formed in Philippa's head and she looked over at Nimrod.

"Hey Nimrod, is there a way to use our flames for offence?" She asked.

"What do you mean?" Her uncle straightened up in his seat.

"During my fight with Dybbuk, I was able to summon my flame and surround myself with it, but…" She stopped briefly, "he somehow nullified it. Is that even possible?" She slumped down on the bed. Talking took a lot of energy, energy that she didn't have.

"I'm not so sure, but I know someone who might be able to help us. I have a hunch we will be seeing them again very soon." Nimrod told her. Philippa was now lying back on her pillow, sleep slowly creeping up and embracing her. The last thing she saw was John who entered the room, offering her a small smile.

* * *

**I feel like this chapter was kinda dry, but don't worry! A lot of the plot will be revealed nect time :D Thanks for reading! (=w=)/**


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